I like books about books. There is something deliciously meta about reading a story with characters, who are reading stories or a book referencing itself or its author. This month’s starting book, The Book of Form and Emptiness, is a prime example and it inspired me to write a little story.
If books about books are fun, what do you think about a story with books, which include books? Overdoing it, perhaps? Anyway, let’s give it a go.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was in trouble. One of the regular library patrons, Ms. T. Ricky, had criticised the library’s book selection. “A library should have books, which speak to all readers”, she had complained. “Like a good, entertaining Beach Read“. The book woman was miffed. Surely, there is no book in the world, which would speak to all readers. She asked her fellow librarian, Queenie, for advice. “Why don’t you consult Frank Doel from Marks & Co”, Queenie suggested, “he really knows about books”. “Isn’t he based in London?”, the book woman asked doubtfully. “Write a letter”, Queenie said, “the address is 84, Charing Cross Road“. The book woman did just that. The reply from Mr. Doel came promptly (or as promptly as any letter can come to the remote hills of Troublesome Creek).
Dear Madam,
we are pleased to inform you, we know a book, which may clear up your problem. We will send a nice copy by Book Post, but unfortunately some delay may be expected. Marks & Co has been the target for a break-in. The Book Thief left the bookshop a mess. Luckily, the thief has been identified by the police and will no doubt get The Sentence he deserves. We do feel sorry for him, though. It’s The Neverending Story of a reader who got addicted to locked-room mysteries and has desperately been breaking into London bookshops to search for additional supply. Still, we expect to ship your book as soon as we have tidied up the mess.
Yours faithfully,
FPD
For MARKS & CO
Two weeks later, the book woman and Queenie were excitedly unwrapping the package from Marks & Co, dying to see the book, which would be able to speak to all readers. Did you guess it? It was of course The Book of Form and Emptiness.
So there you have it. A story referencing books about books. For those not familiar with The Book of Form and Emptiness I should perhaps add, that it’s mostly narrated by the book itself, i.e. the book is speaking directly to the reader. Let’s finish with a quote:
“Is it odd to see a book within a book? It shouldnβt be. Books like each other. We understand each other. You could even say we are all related, enjoying a kinship that stretches like a rhizomatic network beneath human consciousness and knits the world of thought together.“
Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness
Six Degrees of Separation is hosted by Kate, who each month decides on a starting book, from which everyone builds a chain of six books.
What a clever idea for a chain! I’m beyond impressed.
Thanks Margaret, I had fun writing it! That is what I loved about Six Degrees – there are so many different ways of linking the books.
Brilliant really clever! π
Thanks Nicki, I had fun writing it! π
Wow… what a wonderful and creative way to do this chain. BRAVA!
Thanks Davida, it was the starting book which inspired me to do it this way and I had great fun writing it!
Brilliant! Well done, Stargazer!
Thanks Sandra, one of the rare occasions, when inspiration hit me! π
So clever! Well done.
Thanks! It was fun to do!
Youβre bookish, which is an excellent way to be!
Haha, can’t deny it, but what can you do?! π
AAAAAH this is brilliant! Loved your little story and the way all your books are working so well together.
I have read 84 Charing Cross Road and The Book Thief – both are favorites.
Have a wonderful August!
Elza Reads
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed it! 84, Charing Cross Road and The Book Thief are favourites of mine as well. A wonderful August to you too!
Utterly brilliant, Stargazerπ Bravo!
Thanks Jonetta! π
Fun.
Thanks!
WOW!!!
I loved the story you’ve made from your chain, Stargazer!
Glad you enjoyed it! I had a lot of fun writing it, but sometimes with these kind of things, they are considerably more fun for the writer than for other readers…
In this case, I think you’ve had fun and delighted your readers, so win-win π
π You got a new avatar? Very nice, although I liked the old one as well – as I remember it, it was a specific Australian flower?. π
I keep seeing flowers while I’m out and about and taking photos of them π
This one is a bottlebrush. The birds love them.
Haha, bottlebrush – I can definitely see why it got that name! π
Gosh, that was a never-ending bookish string of thoughtsππ Brilliantly done!
Hehe, it really was! Thanks! π
Very impressive and creative. The story is charming, and the subject of books about books is lovely. And now I really want to read The Book of Form and Emptiness.
Thanks so much Tracy, it was the starting book, which inspired it all, so I have Kate to thank for choosing this book.
OMG, you are the best! How fun is that? So well done, congratulations!
84, Charing Cross Road is really good, and its sequel as well
Awww, thank you. I am so glad you liked it. Still haven’t read the sequel to 84, Charing Cross Road. One day…
What a unique approach to this exercise! I’m blown away. Well done!
Thanks Mary, it was quite fun to do, the story more or less wrote itself (speaking of meta…).
Ha ha that’s a hoot, love it. Very clever. And I’ve even read a couple of the books.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! π
Wow, this was brilliant! I love how you approached the exercise and excelled at it. Brilliant!! π
Thanks so much Lashaan, it was fun to write it, but I wasn’t sure it would make sense to anyone else than me. π
It’s clever how you tied these novels together. Troublesome Creek and Neverending Story are sort of new to me but I’m aware of the others. I’d like to get to The Sentence. I like books about books …
The Neverending Story is actually a German children’s book, so no wonder you are not familiar with it. I loved it so much as a child and surprisingly, it was the metaphysical aspects rather than the dragon, the princess etc which caught my imagination already back then.
I had mixed feelings about The Sentence (my review will be going up soon) but the bookshop and literary references were some of my favourite parts of the book.
This is my favorite of yours yet! All the Book Woman references (Queenie!) made me happy. Did you see thereβs a follow-up book? I loved it just as much as the first.
Haha, it was because of you, I picked up The Book Woman in the first place. Before then, I’d never heard of the blue people either. No, I wasn’t aware of the sequel, I will check it out!
this is such a great idea for a chain. So creative!! Well done!
Thanks Marg, glad you enjoyed it! π