On Books

While it was not my intention to write about Manny, I had every intention to get this through....

My sister will leave for Gibraltar (to work) on July 2 so she had to part with her precious acquisitions with not much choice. She is only allowed to carry 20 kilos so she has to bring only the necessities. And among the many things shipped back to our house in GenSan is her most-valued collection of books, product of two years' labor in an auditing firm in Makati.

Books are the most essential and important of all the material things in the life of my sister. I remember when we were young, both in grade school, she would buy Sweet Valley, Baby Sitters' Club, Goosebumps and the likes for around P100.00 each at Kimball. That amount was like a week's allowance at the time. She always found ways to support this addiction.

And while she was expanding her collection, I was secretly taking (stealing?) books then so that I could support my own whims. And how? I sold the books to a bookshop near Kimball for P30-40. I did not really care about the difference. I'm not sure if she learned of this. Well, I was away for a year after graduation in elementary and when I came back, I did not have to sell books to have money. I found other ways (legal). I engaged in some small ventures.

I was more excited than ever to go home last Friday so that I could rummage the goods she sent. I did not and do not care much about her clear instruction that I could take all her clothes but not the books. Come on, what good are those clothes when my sister is so much larger than me. She justifies her big body by blaming the hormones.... Hehe.

Anyway, I was not disappointed. I saw books of my favorite authors. John Grisham, Ken Follet, Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum and more. She sent more than 50, but only half of them are novels. The other half are inspirational books - on love, life and body. Yes, body. My sister must finally have gotten conscious of her size...

While I was not disappointed, I held some of the books with not much happiness. I don't think that they are worth the hundreds of pesos she spent for each. Each costs P200-P350. I'm not against inspirational books, which others might consider eye-openers. But I'm no fan. On my birthday two years ago, Ate sent me a copy of Boy Meets Girl and in another occasion, sent me I Kissed Dating Goodbye. Instead of thanking her, I scowled and was unappreciative. I appreciate the act, really, but not the product. And I don't know where those books are right now. I'm not into having boyfriends but I found some of the author's statements righteous and judgmental. He was like giving a sermon about relationships, assuming that everyone feels the same way he does or believes in the same principles.

Last Christmas, she gave me a book by Paulo Coelho, entitled The Devil and Ms. Prym. It was written in the cover that he is best-selling author (every author claims that). I read the first two chapters and decided that I was not getting what the author was trying to say. There were only two characters in the story (as of the last page I've read). The book was written in English but P.C. must have been giving a different meaning to the words he used. I gave up and let her take back the book, otherwise, I'd find a way to dispose of it.

I thought then that she must have made a mistake on giving good reviews for the book (last Christmas). And to my surprise, I saw four more books of Coelho on her package! She must really like him.

So among the many books I could have chosen to read first last Friday night, I decided to give P.C. a chance. And I chose the one with the most interesting title, Veronica Decides to Die. I had raised eyebrows upon seeing the title (the story of Veronica will be told in the next post). This time, I read three chapters before throwing the book. Don't worry sis, I threw it just on the floor. I've had enough of Coelho. I deserve better so I went on for Dan Brown's Digital Fortress. Hah, how good to read a real novel.

The next day, when she called, I gave her a long monologue (which did not remain to be a monologue for she responded), complaining about my second bad P.C. experience. I gave her and the author some insulting remarks.

And what did I get from her?
* a laugh, because, again, I am so affected by this thing;
* great reviews of the book and of the many other works of P.C., including The Alchemist, her most favorite; and
* an advice to stop insulting the author because I will find enemies in doing such. For apparently, Coelho is 'only' the second author to J.K. Rowling in the number of books sold.

I must have overreacted. The problem is not P.C. It must be me. I let impatience and lack of literary appreciation prevail. So what if P.C. does not write his novels the conventional way? Because he certainly does not. Imagine, he even found a way to feature himself in the novel! Yes, inside the book, in connection to the story of Veronica..... He is really different. But maybe, that characteristic makes him great and loved and appreciated by many readers.

As for me? When I'm done with the more conventional books I enjoy reading, I will go back to Coelho. Maybe by that time, I would not be as close-minded. And maybe then, I will come to understand his language.