News

By now we are all used to seeing people interviewed via Zoom, Skype, Cisco or other electronic means on television news, late night TV, and other such shows. Don’t we all, like most of the interviewers, find it interesting to see the backdrop for the interviewees?

Some speak from their bedroom, others their kitchen, a few speak from attics or basements, and still others in family rooms or living rooms, and of course, from an office or study. Over time we begin to anticipate where some will be for their interview. We may even have names for some of these folks. One frequent commentator I call Pineapple Man. He is always posed in his kitchen with a fresh pineapple on the counter forming his backdrop. Then there is Carnation Lady, for the woman who always poses in front of a large bouquet of said flower.

Well, I am a bit different as these folks are speaking. I thoroughly enjoy those who have bookshelves as a backdrop. When this is the case, I stand up, go over to the television, turn my head sideways, parallel to the floor, and begin to read the book bindings. I am always interested in what they have read. Sometimes I strike gold….that is, I discover a book I didn’t know existed, and put it on my list to read. Other times I hit silver….a book I already have read. It doesn’t do much for new insight on my part, but it can give just a small shot into the ego: “Oh, President Obama read that book too,” or “Look! Presidential historians Michael Beschloss and Jon Meacham have read that book!”

I sometimes learn something about the interviewee I did not know by spying on their books. With one woman I noticed a book, with her as author, on the subject of being a parent of a child with autism. Her picture and a young man I presume to be her son are on the cover. Rocket scientist that I am, quickly, I come to the conclusion she must be the parent of a child on the spectrum, and this young man must be her son.

Mostly what I have learned with my book binding espionage is that there is a tremendous array of knowledge out there. Name a subject, and there are books on it; generally books aplenty. I once had a church member, Frank, who taught forestry at Colorado State. In the history of the world at that time something like five books were ever written on mistletoe….not the Christmas hanging/kissing kind….the parasitic kind that kills trees and harm forests. Frank had written three of the five, them as I recall.

I am guessing I am not the only one who has ever walked through a bookstore, discovered a book on something I was not searching for, bought it, read it, and was more informed, perhaps even changed in perspective or outlook, because of it. This is what concerns me about “E” books. E books are found by searching for a particular topic or author. They don’t find you, you search for them. I must say Amazon with its algorithms does a great job of recommending books to me. Yet never do they recommend a book outside of my usual interests varied as my interests may be. It is in libraries and bookstores the books seem to call out to me, “Pssst! Over here! Check me out!” And I become the book’s obedient servant and do so. I find this a big downside to our electronic world. We go after the news we want to hear, the books we want to read, and, it would seem, the affirmation we wish to receive.

There is something theological here too. Too many times you and I search for God in a way to affirm what we already think and believe. Too often we resist God’s efforts to break in and change our perspective. We tend to love the Bible quotes that affirm and confirm some already held belief. When is the last time something in scripture spoke to you and you had to do a “180” from where you had once been? Remember, scripture is a Living Word….it does such things.

Looking for a Christmas present? Give yourself one. Walk through a library or bookstore; go to areas in those places where you normally would not travel. Look for something quite different from your usual read. Either buy or check out the book and read it, or at least read the inside of the book jacket to get the gist of it. If what you read there challenges you, take that as the book calling you to read all of it. Oh, and if you decide to crank your head sideways to read book titles during interviews….you might want to have plenty of Bengay handy. Just saying.