One of the best ways to learn about someone is to take a peek, hopefully an invited one, at their bookshelf. If there are no books—only televisions, that itself speaks volumes. But assuming the presence of a bookshelf, and access to it, browsing the titles on its shelves is very nearly like taking a glimpse inside the mind of the bookshelf’s owner. Are the books on this shelf ones you’ve read—or perhaps ones you’ve always wanted to read? Maybe the books reveal a surprising side of the person that you never knew about. And likely, at least a few of them may find their way onto your to-be-read list. From this simple observation, it’s quite possible that the seeds of many stimulating conversations might be planted after browsing the titles here in Mikey’s Library.
Mikey hopes that you will enjoy the selections that fill the shelves of his recently opened library, whether they’re old friends or new discoveries. Here you’ll only find books Mikey has read or plans to read. If a book didn’t earn a place on these shelves, it won’t occupy one. This, of course, is not to say that Mikey’s Library contains every good book ever written—not even close—just a promise that the phrase Mikey Likes It applies to all the books here. Mikey tries to read books from many different genres, but, like most of us, he has his favorites and so you may find that specific aromas permeate this space. This is not a bookstore, and nothing here is recommended by a sponsor—no ratings, no categories. Books appear here for one reason only: Mikey hopes you too might enjoy them.
Some books have the power to occupy your thoughts only while you’re reading them. Others refuse to leave you even long after you’ve closed the cover. A rare few quietly change how you see the world—or make you feel as though you’ve just had a long conversation with their author. That’s the charm of reading. We can pass the time, learn something new, or occasionally find ourselves transformed. Some books disappoint and some surprise, yet the most magical spell that a book can cast is when bridges are built between the minds of its readers.
The first selection to appear on the Bookshelf in Mikey’s Library is Neil Peart’s Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. Out of all the books that Mikey could have chosen for the christening of his new library, why this one? Above all, because this is one of those books whose story does stay with you long after you turn the last page, and it may also insist that you read it again. The second reason is that RUSH, the band Neil Peart helped shape, is now on tour for the first time since his passing in early 2020. Because Mikey has already written about both the book and RUSH elsewhere on the site, he won’t go into greater detail here. Instead, he just hopes you’ll enjoy the journey if you choose to spend a little time with it. And if so, Mikey would love to hear your thoughts on this wonderful account which was composed by a master craftsman of both words and music.
As the collection grows, Mikey invites you to wander around, and if you discover a selection that beckons you, find a cozy spot and spend a little time getting to know it. Libraries are continually changing and every visit offers the possibility of discovering something that wasn’t there the last time—or perhaps something that was there all along, simply waiting to be noticed. Amidst all the strife in the world that has come from us humans, a true thing of beauty that we have added is the magic of books. Although nature can paint the most spectacular images in the heavens and create wonders beyond imagination on Earth, man alone has the power to adorn the pages of books with words. In this we can all find comfort and camaraderie, so come in and enjoy one of man’s true wonders. Bookshelves are our autobiographies, each title a chapter of our human experience.
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