Fashion for everyone

I like the feel of worn paper in my hands and on my fingertips; slowly turning over the pages while holding the corner between my thumb and forefinger gives me a feeling of comfort. I have a fondness for the musty scent of old editions. I appreciate all the shades and textures that paper can be....from the whitest of whites to the butteriest of creams and from the finest of weaves to the heaviest of parchments... I have a soft spot for the bindings...the embossed, the golden, the black and whites or the multi coloured...I love the familiarity of fonts... at the end of a read they are like best friends......But most of all I appreciate that an old book has changed hands over and over. The thought that others have negotiated her pages, maybe made a note here and there or marked a meaningful passage...that is what sparks my interest....the silent connections between readers of all generations.

Paper, pages, print, bindings... books...glorious books....I couldn't live without them....xv