For my third honors experience, I took the honors seminar Rare Books and Manuscripts. I have always had a love for reading, even though I haven't had as much time for it since starting college, and this class was a way to explore a different aspect of books that I was unfamiliar with. Throughout the semester, we discussed topics including all the different factors that determine if a book is rare, modern book collecting, and a little history of books and other published documents. We were able to observe and examine several unique books and manuscripts that were hundreds of years old, and even created our own "rare books" out of door hinges! 

 

     This seminar has caused me to think of books in an entirely new light. Every copy of every book has its own story to tell, and not just the one written on its pages. Most everyday bookreaders, myself included, tend to just pick up a book, read it, and put it back down without a second thought on what that book has been through before ending up in the reader's hands. Throughout history, books have been subject to intense scrutiny, censoring, and destruction. Those that have survived carry with them the stories of every individual who aided in their survival. 

Descriptive Reflection