Introduction
One might be forgiven for assuming, upon entering my sanctum sanctorum, that my intense obsession is books. While I’m absolutely certain I don’t have the most books, and there are definitely others who have significantly more than me, the number of books is pretty impressive, and the variety may even be somewhat eclectic.
A Deeper Interest
What isn’t true, however, is that I am particularly obsessed with books as much as I’m interested in what’s inside. And yes, it is also true that I possess in my collection books on books as well as books on bookbinding. It can get a bit meta if you let it. Also, these books include books on designing and making pop-up books, something I’ve yet to attempt.
Academic Background
Since my bachelor’s degree is in English and Literature (though between when I started and finished, the degree changed to just English), and my Master of Fine Arts is in writing, you may also assume that I have a lot of literature and quite possibly books on writing. And for both of those, you’d be correct.
Diverse Topics
In addition to those specific areas, I also have books on technical writing and grant writing. The specificity of some topics can be pretty interesting and yet, few of those topics are so entirely unique as to justify an entire book written with the intent of explicating that specific sub-genre or subject matter.
Genres and Preferences
Then there are the books on other subjects: the American West, for example. While an interesting subject, the literature that crosses over from an interest in the subject (as in, to know about) and the subject as a genre. The same can be said of most areas where I possess an interest in, but not a passion for the topic. Consider having an interest in England and yet finding most of the writing of Charles Dickens onerous.
Visual Storytelling
The same can be said for visual storytelling (as in comic books and graphic novels). I have plenty ranging in appropriateness from child-friendly to very-much-not-child-friendly and a lot in between. This is an area where I have a lot of high hopes and, against most of what’s written about or for the market, very little satisfaction with what’s offered. While I do enjoy a good superhero movie (looking at you, MCU), I don’t particularly enjoy superhero comics. What had once been a way to escape the real world and enjoy an amazing place and people, has changed and evolved so little or not at all that my opinion of superhero comics is almost nil. And don’t get me started on what the DCEU did to characters I already thought were overused and ridiculous. Except for Wonder Woman (the first movie, not the second one), that was good stuff.
Learning and Mistakes
My insertion into the world, or a subject, or an area of interest or mastery, begins with books and extends to making some pretty amazing mistakes along the way. Messing things up just to figure out what I did wrong and then trying again or trying to fix the problem.
Challenges in Learning
Sometimes the learning comes easy, mostly because I can transfer what I know about one subject or area to another with only a bit of adaptation or adjusting. Other times, as with foreign language acquisition, the process takes a lot longer and is influenced by aphantasia and demand avoidance (complex anxiety and overreaction to not being perfect).
Conclusion
While books are definitely a mainstay in my life, and for a long time were the escape I needed, they aren’t the special interest as much as they are a means for me to find and do new things, experience new ideas, and explore new places.