Gone swimmin'

weheartit.com

Where would you love to go swimming?

For me, reading a good book is much like delving into a swimming pool in the heat of summer. You take a deep breath and within five pages, you're completely submerged in the story. If I'm particularly drawn to a book, I only surface when forced - when my lunch break ends, when my eyes won't stay open anymore, when there's another obligation. There is nothing quite as satisfying as living in someone else's world for a few days.

After I started college, I began buying books like crazy attempting to fill my shelves with the classics - and not-so-classics. (As much as I rail on chick lit, I've been known to read it from time to time...quickly followed by a heavy nonfiction read.) My library has amassed to well over 400 books at this point - which is nothing when you think of the millions of books there are in the world. But I like to think my library paints a unique portrait of me - it shows you very easily what I am interested in.

While my goal is to someday have a room in my home to call my own library, I would love to 'go swimming' at the Library of Congress. Everything under one roof? Count me in. 

As I browse the aisles at local bookstores, looking for treasures or steals, I always find myself discovering new books I want to read. Sometimes I buy them. Sometimes I write down the title to add to my list for future book-buying adventures. I stick to discovering books at stores where the selections are limited. Why? Because my bank account couldn't take more of a hit than it already does. 

In Half Price Books, I'm at the mercy of other suburban readers or box store overstock - it's not a guarantee I'll find everything on my list...but when I do, it makes it that much more exciting. Sure, Barnes and Noble will order practically anything I want, but that makes it too easy. Half the fun is the hunt for that one perfect book that will transport you away from reality for a few hours. And forget Amazon - I'd go crazy with power.

But to spend an afternoon, a day or even a week swimming through all the titles the Library of Congress has to offer? I sigh with book lust and envy at the thought.