The Case for Books

I love technology. I’m still amazed by touchscreens and mobile phones and a million other modern things; things that would have seemed like Star Trek space gadgets to me if I could have seen them as a kid. As I wander around in semi-amazement at the technology that seems to change daily, George (12) sees the home wireless network as being as normal as water coming out of the taps. This makes me realise that it’s only by reference to what you think of as your baseline, that you can see progress.

For me, books are that baseline. Don’t get me wrong – the internet has been a world-changing phenomena and will continue to increase the part it plays in our lives exponentially. But books will always be there, without power, without wireless signals and definitely without passwords. It does strike me as I write this though, that blogging would be a bit pointless without the net [might need to rethink this] I watched an online video about an Amish woodworker this morning [hmm, more internet, maybe more rethinking] talking about their community not necessarily resisting change, just being slower to adopt modern progress, although I did note that somehow he had no trouble adopting the sliding table saw and orbital sander. My point is, I think, that contrast is what makes the new stuff seem more amazing and the old stuff seem more grounded i.e. it’s all good.

I love to own and read beautiful books; those from Lost Art Press which you see on the bookcase being some of my favourites. Not only are the books filled with fascinating [admittedly somewhat niche] detail about the craft of woodworking, they are beautifully made objects in themselves. Twenty years ago I used to mess about with computers and technology in my spare time and spend working time mainly doing things with paper. Fast forward two decades and now work life seems to be filled with technology whereas wood, paper, books and tools are the things I want in my spare time.

Anyway, if you like books you need a bookcase, so I made one.

Ed