When I first heard of the exercise “Friends with an old book” it seemed somehow pointless and unavailing. I didn’t really understand what benefit I could get out of becoming friends with an old book and in what way it would help me in my studies.
I wasn’t really exited about this exercise and my enthusiasm has gotten even worse when I found out, that my book was written in French (which I’m not good in at all)!
The first task was quite easy and I did it whitout putting a lot of effort into it. I thought it was just one oft he things I have to get over with.
Through out the second task I started to understand what the exercise is all about. I think without this task I would never have gone to the library and examined a 250 year old book all by myself.
The feeling of touching the book and not just seeing it over the screen of my Laptop made me gain a lot of respect for such an old and valuable book. It was a pleasure to scroll throw the detailed illustrations and I could feel the energy that the author has given into this book.
The second task has gotten me a lot closer and more connected to the book.
After one year of getting to know the book “Monumens érigés en France à la gloire de Louis XV” written by Pierre Patte, I’m still not sure if I can call this book my friend. In the last few months I spent a lot of time with the book and I invested a lot of time in getting to know the book but I still don’t feel like I know it.
To be honest, the book and I still don’t have a real friendship. The language barrier and the lack of information made it difficult for us to become friends. We’re for sure not strangers but there is still something missing so I could say we‘re friends.
In conclusion I’d say that I would have enjoyed the exercise way more if it had been with an understandable book.
At the end oft he day, I can see what the exercise was all about and it has definitely taught me a lot. I probably would never have really taken the time to look deeper into a book like this and analyse it. The book comes with such a huge history and to think about how many different people in this long period of time must have held it, gives me chills.
I am glad that I had to learn about such an old book and gotten to know a part of the story behind the cover.