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Books and Being: A Phenomenology of the Reading Life
Why do we feel intoxicated in bookstores? What makes us collect more books than we can ever read? How does reading reshape consciousness itself?
In this meditation on bibliophilia, discover the hidden philosophy behind our obsession with books. From the neuroscience of "reader's high" to the metaphysics of personal libraries, from why intellectuals pursue rare first editions to what philosophers from Plato to Derrida have said about reading, this treatise explores the mysterious transaction between human consciousness and the printed page.
Drawing on history, philosophy, and personal reflection, "Books and Being" reveals reading not as passive consumption but as a fundamental mode of existence, one that transforms who we are with every page we turn. For anyone who has ever felt drunk on the smell of old books, who owns more volumes than they have shelves, or who believes that we are what we read, this book offers both vindication and deeper understanding of the reading life.
A essential text for bibliophiles, collectors, and anyone who has ever wondered why books seem more real than reality itself.
In this meditation on bibliophilia, discover the hidden philosophy behind our obsession with books. From the neuroscience of "reader's high" to the metaphysics of personal libraries, from why intellectuals pursue rare first editions to what philosophers from Plato to Derrida have said about reading, this treatise explores the mysterious transaction between human consciousness and the printed page.
Drawing on history, philosophy, and personal reflection, "Books and Being" reveals reading not as passive consumption but as a fundamental mode of existence, one that transforms who we are with every page we turn. For anyone who has ever felt drunk on the smell of old books, who owns more volumes than they have shelves, or who believes that we are what we read, this book offers both vindication and deeper understanding of the reading life.
A essential text for bibliophiles, collectors, and anyone who has ever wondered why books seem more real than reality itself.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2025
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