About books

When giving a book as a gift, one should ask the recipient exactly which book they would like, otherwise one might offend the recipient or make the gift feel like homework, if it isn't a book to the person's liking.

I managed to offend and repulse both my parents with books. Back in a time when I was younger and didn't understand strict political and religious lines, I thought I was giving my folks enlightening literature.

To my father, a pure Baptist and God-loving man, I gave Nostradamus. I think he read it, but he deemed it the devil's work.

To my mother, a usually fair, bi-partisan individual, I gave Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope. I think she read it, as she tossed it to me later and said, "He's a socialist."

I say my mother was bi-partisan, and voted for the candidate that was best, not along a party line, because we once had an argument where I yelled, "I've never supported George [W.] Bush!" and she yelled "Neither have I!", and she watched both CNN and Fox news, to get both sides, she said.

I believe in knowing thy enemy, and diving into a fear-mongered book is a good start. I think it would be interesting if the people who ban books are made to read the books they ban. 

I don't understand the bans, as one can simply go to the internet and conjure whatever book is wanted in an instant. Do kids still check books out of the school library? I'm too long out of the loop to know.

Maybe it's a diversion tactic so Texans won't look at the 3,803 laws that were passed in the last legislative session. 

By the way, the next session begins January 10, 2023.