Old Books – An Invisible Weapon of Men

Knowledge provides him with power. Countless great men across time have used knowledge as an invincible weapon in order to attain goals with otherwise would have been difficult. To gain such power men needs to read and not just observe. Books have become tools of the new generation in order to pass down the knowledge that is supposed to be passed. Books are available worldwide, in many forms both printed and electronic copies that you can flip through on your phone or tablet. Some of these books are mere imitations of what secrets they truly hold.

Over time language has become like a piece of clay, easily moulded and changed to suit the needs of an ever changing world. Such conformity has given rise to many books that may or may not hold the real meaning that those old books that had the original content held. These books were by authors that can be considered as agent provocateurs of that era or free thinkers, or merely people who had a voice that needed to be heard. Derided by the conformists these people must have been driven underground, or else their books ran out of publication due to loss of profits or due to the changing demand of that time.

These old books are a collector's item. They help to uphold the belief that not everyone conformed to the needs of the society and that there were free spirited people who expressed themselves freely without having to fear the consequences.

These books survived the wear and tear and the transportation and have served to provide us that knowledge indeed has not completely been diluted to suit the needs of a specific society, religion or sect. Knowing that such books exist is a wonder in itself. A lot of them end up in prominent archives and are constant security to ensure that they do not leave the building. The pages too over the years tend to grow delicate and may crumble at the slightest touch. To ensure that does not happen as well the books are maintained.

These books may end up in a library or in a private collector's collection. Some books end up in these small sleepy bookshops. Do not be fooled by the value. Some of these books can fetch a huge price for their rarity. First edition books by authors like Thomas Hardy or Jane Austen, written in the original language, not changed or edited can be a diamonds in the rough. These books are carefully kept and auctioned off to the highest bidder or sold at the best price. The language not changed or edited they stand testament to the violent and the peaceful times.

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