Book Serendipity

[Patricia]

At the risk of sounding as strange as I'm known to be, I'm going to ask you all: Do you ever have the sort of serendipity with books where they tend to find you at the right time in your life? For example, I would have a book sitting on my shelf, unread for a couple of years and then finally pull it down and read it. Then, upon reading the book, it's just like, "wow, I really needed that" or the book carries a message that is right for the moment that wouldn't have hit me when I acquired the book 2 years ago or whatever. For me, the right books pop up at "the right time." Does this happen for anyone else?

[Hanisha]

For Me too!!!

There are even days when I feel that I *have* to go to my used-book seller. And I end up finding good stuff.

Spooky, Huh?

[Cristina]

I can relate to book buying serendipity or at least book finding serendipity. Once, when I went to the library I had to return a book that I was not done with. I was thrown for a look and didn't know what book to get and I was drawn to this green spine. It was a the book Paper Fish, the first Italian-American woman author I'd ever read (I'm Italian-America). It also had a bibliography of more books written by Italian-American women.

Last year, when I was accepted to two creative writing grad schools. I chose the school in Kentucky or the school in Vermont. I was 100 percent confident in my choice, but suddenly everywhere I looked I was seeing faculty members books. I even found one at a thrift store. I found them all by accident when I was looking for other books. I took that as a sign that I had made the right choice.

[Tiffany]

I had been doing the "should I/shouldn't I" thing with The Hours by Michael Cunningham because I'd heard mixed things about it but one day I happened to find it, without actually looking for it, at a used bookstore. I went ahead and bought it and that is one of my all time favorite books now.

[Tara]

I definitely have experienced book serendipity. I read The Hours and saw the movie, and both of them came at into my life at the right time. There was something about these women and their stories and some difficulties I was going through and *boom* this book hits me on the head (seriously, I was at the bookstore reaching for something else and accidentally pulled this one down and it hit me in the middle of the forehead).

I think Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner did the same thing. I was having relationship issues and someone was raving about this book. I bought it, read it, laughed, cried and felt so much better about everything.

I definitely believe in book serendipity.

[SassyMama]

I have definitely experienced book serendipity, I buy lots of books, but I also receive lots of books as gifts for my birthday, christmas, etc...I have a few friends and that's all I ever get are books...which I don't mind at all, but ever so often I get one and I say, oh, I don't know if I want to read this...I mean I actually have books that I've had for 5 years plus and then all of sudden it hits me, it's like a sudden urging or a calling to me that says you must read me....lol...so suddenly I pull it out and think WOW...this is just an awesome read...why did I wait so long to read it...definitely scary

[Mont'ster]

"Book Serendipity" has happened to me many times with reference books. The best example was when I found an interesting book (on an obscure historical niche that interests me) in a museum gift shop. I *never* buy books in museums or gift shops but I will pick up old text books and reference books at used book stores.

Even the fact that I was on the right road to be near the museum was serendipitous. It was "the road less traveled" and I took it (at the suggestion of a friend) just to avoid traffic.

[John]

I had a similar experience to Tiffany (post #5) with The Writings of Florence Scovel Shinn. I had gotten it from the library twice in a short period, thinking after I returned it the second time, "I really ought to buy a copy." Well ... not too much later on, when not specifically looking for that book, there it was in a box of to-be-shelved items on the floor at Half Price Books and it had been marked for well under half price, even though it was in very good condition!

[Lori]

I dont know if i have had the perfect book at the perfect moment in my life, but I have had those instances where I have just finished reading a book and begun a new one (unrelated title, different author) and throughout the book, I catch locations or thoughts or sometimes even just words that match almost identically with the book I had just read. And I think to mylsef wow... that was really weird. Almost like book dejavu! Anyone ever have that sort of experience?

[Bliss]

Yes, I have had this happen to me several times. I think it's the "Law of Attraction" kinda thing. Your life is doing so-and-so and a book about so-and-so finds its way into your life.

For me it's both scary and amusing, simultaneously.

[Sheri]

I also buy books that I must have but may not read for a while...sometimes weeks or sometimes years BUT when I do read it, it seems so perfect for that time in my life. The thing about buying books is that I don't have to rush to read them. I know I want to get to a certain book but there isn't pressure like if I had to return it to the library.

[Sean]

I've had times where I've picked up a book at the second-hand store on a splurge, tried to read it and struggled and gave up. Then, later on, when life was changing around me, I'd try to read the book again and it would really relate to my frame of mind, such as it would reinforce something I was feeling or give me something to rage against.