contemporary literature

I've been collecting first editions of classic literature for a while now.  For some strange reason I have been getting bored with it. A lot of the books I collect I have no intension of reading.  I have been thinking about the kinds of books that I like to read and thought that maybe I should start collecting first editions of contemporary or obscure writers.

I am currently reading Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem.

This is the first book I have read by him. I think he has a style that captivates me and makes me want to continue reading. With older books, I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy them. I picked up another book by Lethem over the weekend called Amnesia Moon. I found an antique mall in Gap, PA a few of the booths I ventured into were filled with contemporary first editions. Because I am straped for cash these days, I was only able pick up the Lethem book and Identity by Milan Kundera. I feel like collecting and reading contemporary literature is something that I need to do. It is important to learn about different authors as a bookseller and as a writer.

I stumbled upon Japanese writer Haruki Murakami a few years ago and his novels have changed my life. I have recommended his books to at least a dozen individuals, who are very grateful that I did. His books have a surrealist energy to them that make you think about the books, even when you are not reading them.

I think books really teach us to use our imagination. If we keep reading books just because they are a bestseller or because it's an easy ticket out of the real world for a short instant, we need to rethink about why we truely read and what literature really means. Literature is a form of art and should be treated as such.

To quote Haruki Murakami, "Our responsibility begins with the power to imagine"