Talking books

-- Books are like shoes, or handbags. Just another commodity. Another tangible thing you can go out and buy to validate your middle-class lifestyle. Nice to have around and to show off your good taste. Me? I've got closets full of them. Shoes and books both.

-- Books can inspire you to do good deeds, like give money or time to a charity. They can make you feel sorry for people who have less than you do. They can make you a better person.

-- Books are like mirrors. You can project yourself into the lives of the characters. You read into them what you want, hoping that maybe you'll learn something about yourself. It's a great way to imagine yourself in different situations and kind of test them out without really committing to anything.

-- Reading books is the best way to increase your vocabulary. And, let's face it, your saleability. People who have big vocabularies make more money, right?

-- Reading is a good way to find a partner. If you read the same kinds of books as someone, it's easier to ask them out for a date, and you'll probably have a good time because you already have something you can talk about. A book is a great ice-breaker.

-- No one should read a book thinking it's gonna help them get a better job, or a bigger house, or change the circumstances they find themselves in. At the most, books can help you change the way you view life, not life itself.

-- Books are entertainment, pure and simple. They don't change lives, but they do take you out of this one for a few hours, which is a good thing. They're really useful if you can't sleep, or if you're traveling.

-- I couldn't live without my books, especially all the unread ones sitting on my shelves. For me, they represent the future -- places I want to explore, things I want to know, people I want to meet, all waiting for me with open arms. Unread books are pure potential, ready to spring to life even if they're centuries old. Sometimes I think they talk among themselves when I'm not looking. Probably about me!