I've had a relationship with this book since the 1970s. It's sat on different bookshelves in many places. I rarely read the words inside the covers. I may sometimes read the words of Raymond Williams but more often than not those words come to me via a computer screen. With the advent of the iPad I feel I will be reading even more texts online. The books and bookshelves that surround me have changed their role in my life. 

I began this moment in the day deciding to sort through my books and take some down the charity shop. Now I'm looking through these books and thinking about the value of 'The Long Revolution'. This book cost a couple of bob when I bought it. At the time I could have bought a decent egg and chips, a slice of white bread and marg and a cuppa. Quickly the initial economic cost becomes as insignificant as that egg and chips. What I've invested in is something else, something so much more important than an object, the book. The words inside this book resonate through my life. I open the book, with its yellowing edges, it is small, it fits in my hand easily, I imagine I've sometimes carried it in a pocket. The book takes on social and cultural significance the moment I hold it and begin reading. 

I leaf through the book. Pencil underlining here and there. In the first chapter, The Creative Mind, I come across some light pencil marks, ' Culture ... the relations between art and learning, and the whole complex of our activities that we call society.' Later 'Mimesis', is written in the margin. Raymond Williams goes on, 'Plato and Aristotle agree on the fact of imitation, but go on to draw different conclusions' ... 'while Plato emphasises the dangers of fiction .. mere appearances, Aristotle develops his concept of imitation as a form of learning'. 

I'm drawn back into the book, I fold the corner of page 21 with my fingers, close the book, lift it onto a new position, on the bookshelf above my computer, here I can see the title, 'The Long Revolution' and the authors name, 'Raymond Williams'. I place the book next to Umberto Eco, Roland Barthes, Ivan Illich, John Berger and Victor Burgin.  I now have a desire to locate Culture and Society by Raymond Williams and to re-read these books from the 70s.  I may be developing a new relationship with this book, it might just be a quick fling. Holding this book, sitting quietly, leafing through the pages, reading words on paper, these actions have captured my imagination. I find it hard to let go and put this book in the charity bag.

I come back to my computer, save an image I've made of the front cover of the book into iPhoto, click Share>Email and write these words into an email and address this to post@tonyhall.posterous.com , I click 'Send' and out into orbit, as another  fragment in the online world, it goes. 

(4306) books, 70s, clutter, cloud, consciousness, iPad, relationships, nomads, theme,