The Last Book

https://bookplaces.wordpress.com/2019/09/04/the-last-book/​Has anyone seen the movie The Book of Eli? It’s one of my favorite movies. I’ve seen it many times and I know I’ll watch it again. The film is in the category of ‘timeless literature ‘ and yes, films can be literature, the theme is a horrible one. The last Bible, the last Holy Book left on a post-apocalyptic Earth is kept under guard by a man named Eli who has received divine inspiration to ‘go west’ with the book. His journey is explored in the movie. You must see it!

Does the possibility of a world without books concern you? What if there were no more copies of the Bible left? Even for non-religious people, most realize the importance of that book. We have other books that we should also try to keep in print for future generations. Those who argue that books can be stored on the internet such as ebooks have to keep this in mind. You may have spent money for an ebook or received a free download to read on your Kindle or phone or computer, but you don’t really own the book. You paid money for the privilege of reading it and storing it for a certain time, unspecified, until Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and others decide that they want to take back the book. It’s a file, that ‘book’, and everyone knows what can happen to computer files! That ebook came to you when you pushed a button as my dad liked to say, and it can be recalled at the push of a button on the other side. This has already happened in certain cases though it’s not a big news item.

Physical books are long-lasting. Think of centuries-old manuscripts and books written on fabric or stone. Ancient civilizations wrote in symbols on walls and we’re still discovering more. Our ancestors realized the importance of writing for posterity. I own a copy of Lord Byron’s Poetical Works published in 1802. The book is in very good condition. I have other old books although not as old. Do you see books strictly as entertainment, as a temporary thing? If you were asked to leave a list of books everyone should read, what would they be?