Sixty Pounds Of Knowledge And Dreams

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, if you wanted to learn about something, you selected and picked up an ivory, green, and gold key to the world called the World Book Encyclopedia.

It was much more fun than a dictionary, it was better than a thesaurus, it had a slick texture when you flipped pages, and a unique smell although it was a book. With every new year, you would receive a book for the past year and apply labels in the original books referencing you to the new yearbook.

Initially published 100 years ago, the World Book Encyclopedia was and continues to be a window into the world well into the 21st century. More than 10,000 pages of knowledge spread across 20 plus volumes that contained maps, pictures, history, and the list is limitless.

During the long and cold winter nights in North Dakota when there were only three (3) television channels to watch and for this reason, excitement, mystery, knowledge, leisure, and both sides of the story oozed out of these books and opened up my world.

World Book Encyclopedias were the internet of my childhood and provided information instantaneously and could also be used to press flowers or plants if needed. Sure, smartphones are the window into today's world but show me a smartphone with personality.

My exposure to this excellent resource helped me forge my path traveling the world on submarines and ships, moving throughout the nation during my life to explore new experiences, and having an unfillable thirst for knowledge during my fifty plus years on this earth.

Fall has begun, and I yearn to spend the evening curled up on the couch paging through volumes of the World Book Encyclopedia while one of my furbabies cuddle with me. Perhaps, when the temperatures drop a little more, I will add a warm fire and hot Irish Coffee to the experience.

The world continues to change as I do, but I wish some changes would slow down and I could turn back the clock. It is nice to have dreams, but we all know that it probably would not be the same. Memories always seem to have a fondness that cannot be repeated, but I would love to try.

• Do you have activities from your childhood you would love to recreate?
• Do you know of anyone that has later 1960s Worldbook Encyclopedias with Yearbooks available?
  

I love being fifty plus going on fifteen and appreciate your reading my blog.

Thanks, J