Library book sale!

elizabethprata

Sep 10

By Elizabeth Prata

Our library has a book sale twice a year. There are great deals on books and there's a super variety too. I usually go looking for religious books, as paperbacks are $1 and hardcover $2. Some with an orange sticker were less than that.

I got a bit depressed wading through all the false teacher books, and false doctrine books. There was a lot of Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, and Joyce Meyer. There were lots of books about heaven travel, that is, people who claimed to have traveled to heaven and returned to tell what it was like. Also present were Bill Wiese books, that's the guy who allegedly went to hell and came back to tell about it. One book was actually called a travel book to heaven, or some such. Books about your own strength or your coming prosperity. Ugh, lots of false.

I didn't find a whole lot of solid theology but I did find some books that looked interesting. For a dollar or two, I can take a chance.

There were three books from a series called "Women of Faith". They are biographies of famous women of the faith, by Kathleen White. The three bios were of Amy Carmichael, Joni Earickson Tada, and Corrie ten Boom. The paperbacks were short, 125 pages or so, and I thought would be a good, light read for when I need a good, light read.

I found a coffee table type book called "The Hand that Paints the Sky: Delighting in the Creator's Canvas". It's introduced by Joni Earickson Tada (who is a painter) and containing a message from composer Cindy Morgan. It is filled with luscious photos of God's creation, and associated Psalms and verses and quotes referring to His creative power. I love pondering creation and His creative ability, so I picked that one up for $2. The Arts were invented by God, after all. I love basking in the arts, this book seems to do just that.

There was even a cool bookmark inside. I love ephemera.

I listen to Chuck Swindoll when his short devotionals come on the radio. I am familiar with some of his sermons too. He's good. I found a commentary by Swindoll on Job. "Job: A Man of Heroic Endurance". I love the book of Job and always want to learn more about it. Here, Swindoll apparently delves into the life of Job and the sustained faith that brought him through his trials.

I saw a hardcover titled "The Psalms of David" and picked it up. It is by James S. Freemantle. Here is the blurb:

Back in print, The Psalms of David is a unique, beautifully illustrated edition of the revered religious work, also known as the Book of Psalms.

The lifework of a little known genius, this facsimile edition of a magnificent hand-painted illumination of the Psalms of David is a stunning tribute to love and spiritual devotion.

Born in India, James Freemantle traveled through the Middle East during his years in the British Army. Shortly after his second marriage, he began this hand-lettered, illustrated volume for his beloved bride, Clara. For the next thirty years, he periodically worked to transfer the psalms into a book that would physically match the lyrical beauty of the poetry.

Throughout the book one finds the brilliantly colored blooms of India: the jacaranda, the flame-of-the-forest, huge yellow laburnums, brilliant poinsettias, and highly scented mimosa. The pages are alive with kingfishers and larks, drummers and hoppie butterflies, storks and pheasants. There are pictures of the lake near Freemantle's home, the nearby Brahmin temple, and the view from the train as he went up to school in the hills. Scenes from his travels in the army, Middle Eastern harbors and villages, and copies of illustrations from Victorian travel books reveal his draftsman's training in the accuracy of every detail.

A labor of love, a work of art, a volume to treasure, this illuminated edition of the King James version of the Psalms of David is the perfect gift for all seasons.

I read that it took 30 years to illustrate and Freemantle died the same month he finished. It sure is a pretty book.

I also found a John Stott Exposition of Romans 5-8 and Randy Alcorn's "Heaven". There was a sympathy card tucked inside the Heaven book consoling someone who'd lost a loved one. Obviously the book and card was a gift to a grieving believer. Sometimes ephemera is sad. I also got a bunch of children's books for my school library.

When I got home I happily inventoried them into my software and began admiring the books. Not reading them yet, just admiring the dust jackets, or the glossy photos of the Paints book, or reading the blurbs on the back. I like everything about books, not just reading them but all about them. Each one is personal to me, carefully selected, admired, and placed lovingly and specifically in my home or school library. I'm glad the Friends of the Library put this sale on twice a year.

I'm headed to my favorite vintage store in a short while looking for salt + pepper shakers, fall décor (September is hard to decorate for!) and a calculator to replace the one at school that died. If I find any cool things I'll post pics and descriptions! Have a wonderful day everyone!

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