A Curiosity That Was Once Familiar

My wife, my daughter and I wandered into the Curious Iguana as we explored downtown Frederick, MD this past Saturday afternoon. My response to being in the Curious Iguana, a small independent bookstore, took me off guard. I felt like I imagine a former smoker might feel walking into a smoke filled room, but in a good way. I was reminded of a past addiction and cherished the brief reminder of the happiness it used to bring.

The smell of the books and the well laid out displays put me into a state of mind that was familiar, but almost forgotten. It’s a state where time slows, a keenness of mind and spirit ensues and nothing matters except searching for just the right book. I have been in that state of mind many times before, but I don’t know that I have ever been as acutely aware of it. For the most part, the kind of bookstores I used to spend hours in has left the retail landscape and I get my books online or as eBooks. 

I like the convenience of buying books online and enjoy reading eBooks, but a day like Saturday makes me long for the days of browsing the shelves of a well-stocked book store, thumbing the pages of books that catch my eye and leaving the store with something new and unexpected to read. Searching for books in store is a process of discovery. It is like following a new road or trail and finding an undiscovered  place or view. And, it is an experience that cannot be matched by a sophisticated database or program that makes suggestions as to what I should read next. 

We left the store with a new book for my daughter’s summer reading. She began to read it as soon as we got in the car. As we drove out of town, I commented on how nice it was go to a book store. My daughter took a break from her reading and interjected, “It felt great!” Yes, indeed it felt great, and because of that, I hope that places like the Curious Iguana are with us for many years to come.