The book entitled “Atlantis the antediluvian world” was received as ‘fact’ when the book was released in 1882. Kings and heads of state reviewed with awe the tale of Atlantis, and with the recent discovery of Troy and the continued exploration of Egyptian antiquity, who could blame anyone from being captivated? We often don’t admit to being hoodwinked which is why you seldom hear about this book, but it is fun to read!
Which brings me to a curious point, one of the things that are quickly vanishing out of libraries and large private collections and into the hands of many everyday people are thousands and thousands of books. If you haven’t been to a library recently — and few have — there is one thing missing… books! Personally, I am not sad to see the library go the way of the dodo. Libraries are the clerics of an ancient technology.
However, the challenge we have today is sifting through the interpretations of others and never seeing the original source. If you don’t read the original books, you might believe that Abraham Lincoln’s overriding passion wasn’t to free the slaves. You might not be aware that many believe he was influenced by an account of the capture and slavery of a seaman in North Africa in the early 1800’s.
By building your own library, you can see for yourself what people thought about their times and the people in them. Just as any good chef will own hundreds of cookbooks ( although there are those who won’t admit it!), how can you really know your field if you have not read their founding books?
Find something you enjoy and buy some books!
Roger Freberg
PS. Laura has started her own Psychology Library