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| Cincinnati Public Library in 1874 |
All good things must come to an end or at the very least postponed indefinitely. So it goes with The Overleaf.
The Internet and the advent of eReader devices have helped to bring the world’s vast libraries of knowledge and expression to the average person. I was driven to start this blog excited by the idea that tens of thousands of books were available to everyone free of charge via Project Gutenberg. I wanted to draw attention to the fact that some of the world’s greatest books and some lesser known but interesting gems all lay waiting for curious readers if they only knew they existed. In writing these essays, I attempted to make these works more accessible to casual readers who might otherwise have been intimidated by the academic pedigree and snob appeal attached to a given book. I did this because literature has been a lifelong passion that has brought me great enjoyment, stirred my soul, piqued my curiosity and deepened my understanding of the world. It continues to do so. I was also spurred by the belief that literature is not just for a select few; literature is for everyone.
Writing this blog made me a more attentive reader and a better writer. It was an exercise in discipline to post a new article twice a month without fail. This self-imposed obligation compelled me to scramble to get things done no matter what which caused a bit of chaos now and then as I also tried to dispatch the rest of life’s responsibilities. Everything got done, but things have changed. I have less time to devote to The Overleaf and, wonderful as the experience has been, I’m looking forward to going back to reading at my leisure. Writing about a book means reading it closely for content. It also means research and some time spent writing and posting. It’ll be nice to read as I have encouraged others to read—for enjoyment, at one’s own pace, savoring the words of a book for the very sake of it.
So let these essays on literature stand, for now, as my contribution to the effort to bring literature into people’s lives. Someday, I may return. But for now I must turn my energies towards making music, which is my primary obsession. I want to thank all of the thousands of people who have stopped by The Overleaf during the first 58 weeks of its existence. I hope only that you’ll pass along some of the books you may have found here and that perhaps you were inspired to chart your own course for exploring literature. I had lots of fun and learned a great deal. Thank you for coming with me on this journey.
Please keep reading.
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