Tuesday, April 14, 2009

the storyteller's indulgence and prize...



...i have a bug infecting me.

i am a storyteller. and every good storyteller is always on the look out for another storyteller. and the best place to find them stories is in books.

for as long as i remember, i have had the habit of scavenging and foraging through the dusty and musty piles of papers stacked in old decrepit book shops and "pasti walla's". i love the damp smell of an old book, the pages half eaten by Lepisma saccharina (a.k.a silverfish) despite the terrible vengeance wrecked upon me by my sinuses. for only five minutes spent in such a shop with such books i have to put up with constant sneezing for the next hour or so. still, it is worth the spit and the tickle. cause sometimes you come across such gems...







picked up this old old copy of the Arabian Nights today. i wonder why in the world people get rid off such classics. i love the book and the super fabulous illustrations by A.E. Jackson. this is one prized addition to my collection.

...i am happy! la di la di laaaaa... :)


13 comments:

Richa said...

hehe.. i am scared of going thru such old books cuz i have bronchitis and once i start sneezing, it is hard for me to stop..

anyways, arabian nights is one of the ultimate collection of stories.. i remember how fascinated i used to be with all those magic and smoke and teleportaion and spells :D

my cupboard last yr got infected by termites and i had to throw away eaten books all my faves.. :(

Anya said...

i have to check my old collection of books now

www.chronicwriter.com

Nachi said...

Richa: *same pinch*

i have to be dressed as if in a Bio-containment suit in order to survive the sneezes...although i am not struck down by Bronchitis, my family swears that i shall be if i continue to sit amidst the pile of old books.

...so sorry about those books! termites are like my nightmare as well!


Chriz: go look...and if you happen to find something "I CALL IT" as mine!!

:D

Blur said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nachi said...

TALKING OUT ALOUD TO MYSELF:

"kaun batameez aapna comment delete karta hai?? bolo bolo...kya kehna hai?"

(who is it that deletes their own comment? wonder what is it that you wanted to say?
... :D

Blur said...

Goddamn! It shows? Arre..i made two spelling mistakes so i removed it. I'll write *again* what was in that comment.

"Nice! I have always known what it feels to own a new book but not how it feels to own an old classic!

I love Arabian Nights! I'm a die-hard fantasies/myths/legends fan! Have been reading 'em since i could read!

P.S Take me with you the next time you go. :) "

Nachi said...

Charsi: hah! so it was you?? 'miss typo'...

...lol!! yeah sure, the next time i shall let ya know before hand!!

:D

Keshi said...

OMG I love reading too...and looking at ur 'prized' collection, I think I should plan a trip to ur place cos I wanna get my hands on em asap!

Keshi.

WarmSunshine said...

I'm a book lover to the core. The minute I step into a book store I get so far carried away. If I could, I'd buy the place out :D

Wow, that's a good book you've got there. Hope I get my hands on something like that soon!

Tc!

deepteshpoetry said...

Coool!Chk out my stuff too on my blog.Pls do,.

Nachi said...

Keshi: hehehehe...so this is what it takes to have you come over!!

pop over anytime Keshi girl! :DMehreen: aahan! Miss Bookworm! beware, our's is a dangerous world...lots of temptations...

:DDeeptesh: thanks mate! and yeah sure thing...on my way...

:)

Stupidosaur said...

yeah, even I did that a lot.
These days the raddi shops seem to have thinned down in quality.

Either nobody buys wonderful books these days, or if they do, nobody throws them away.

How much did that Arabian Nights cost you?

Who knows, in one of these quests, we may land a gem, which we can auction for millions ;)

'Can auction' does not necessarily mean 'will auction'

Ratzzz said...

those who "get rid" of bookz ought to be hanged...

others are plain unlucky.. tkae me for instance.. i lost a whole carton of my collectionzz while transfering from college hostel to indore..i am still tryin to track them though, in vain poor me... d carton had books gifted by d ex-president APJ, my guru, and loads of books gifted by my pop including my first book ever.. all gone with the wind :(