Most writers would agree that the urge to put pen to paper is inspired, at least in part, by an intense love affair with books. Sometimes it is one book that excites the passion or it can be the accumulated influences of hundreds or thousands of books. It is a solitary journey along a well-traveled path, but occasionally there is a serendipitous meeting with a fellow traveler.
The sharing of a book can be one of the most profound and intimate acts two people can engage in. Every day, books are given as gifts, recommended by friends, panned by critics. All these are legitimate ways to share a book but there is nothing special in the transaction. Books are consumed for entertainment, for knowledge, for distraction and for help. All those books hold their own special places and exist for their own special reasons. But there is another kind of book - the book that speaks directly to the soul, the book whose very presence in a room can serve as a source of courage, inspiration and comfort.
This is the book that someone hands to you with the words "this is a favorite of mine." It is not an easy admission, for in that brief sentence, one becomes vulnerable and exposed. When you read someone's favorite book you touch his essence, reach that hidden place where even lovers are seldom allowed.
It is a weighty responsibility, then, to be on the receiving end of such a gesture. Rejection, dislike, even a lukewarm response can alienate friends quicker than any pedestrian disagreement. The relationship one has with a favorite book is so intense, that it can feel like a personal renunciation.
Yet, the risk becomes worthwhile when you give someone a book and find out that it speaks to her, too. Suddenly there is a spiritual connection, a shaft of brilliant light that encompasses you both. Both intellectual fulfillment and emotional surrender, it pulsates more intensely than a quasar, providing a potent insight into the heart. The word "soulmate" was created to express just such a relationship, reflecting a union that can be as binding as love.
It may only be a fleeting link between acquaintances, or a sign of a deep, enduring devotion between partners; whichever it is, the feeling that can come from sharing a special book is testament to the power of the written word, and validation of the efforts of everyone who has ever pursued the craft of writing.
