I know we should not judge books by their covers, but what about judging people by their books? I have always been interested in checking out what books people have on their shelves when I visit their homes. The books you choose to own are a reflection of who you are.
But now I wonder what people might think of me. I have had people coming in and out, with realtors or during open houses, and my bookshelves are easy to see. I have a wide variety of interests, and my books reflect that.
The problem is that I also own books that don't reflect what I think, and some people would find offensive. I even find some of my books offensive.
I own a copy of Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, and Chairman Moa's Little Red Book. I can't say I am in agreement with either of these men.
I have a book called "The South Was Right," which argues that while the Confederacy lost the war, the was actually right and the North was wrong. Again, not really my position.
The worst book I own (both in what it stands for and how well it was written) is "The Turner Diaries." I heard about this book after the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh was inspired by it. I read it and wondered how anyone could find anything inspiring in this really dumb non-sense.
So I wonder if anyone has looked at my bookshelf and come to the conclusion that I am some sort of a racist nut job? I could hide these books, but I think it it far better to confront and understand ideas we don't agree with than it is to merely read what we are predisposed to embrace.
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