Books in the flea market

There weren't any decent bookstores in Koronadal when I was in high school, only stores that supplied school merchandise. This saddened me somehow. Whenever I'd leave for the big cities, the sight of National Bookstore and Powerbooks made my heart pound, so much so that I would leave my friends and go my own way, spending the limited time I had looking at books, many of which I could hardly afford.

My early collection of books was partly borne out of donations. My mother's friends who had a vast collection of paperbacks but whose children were not interested in reading gave them to me. I had fond memories of reading Sidney Sheldon and Robert Ludlum, my favorites back in sixth grade. Mine were dog-eared copies, but I didn't really mind. Like wisdom, the worth of a book grows with age. Besides, the older the book, the more fragrant it becomes.

When I visited KCC, our charming little local mall here, I saw a Booksale store. There I found many good titles. I found My Antonia by Willa Cather which I bought for Php 75. When I visited Robinsons Place in GenSan, National Bookstore there had a grand sale. I bought The Gathering by Anne Enright (Php 75), The Food of the Gods by H.G. Wells (Php 45), and a hardbound copy of Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte (Php 45).

I think I know why some people just can't get enough of the flea market. Finding a hardbound John Steinbeck stuff is a lot like stumbling upon a brand new-looking Levi's. I guess it's the element of surprise—and just plain old economics.

. . .

And here's my Christmas reading list:



I can't imagine how all these—plus the other books I've bought—will fit in my backpack when I come back to Manila. I guess paper bags will do the trick.