Dr. Beverly Matiko, a former associate professor of English and Communication at Andrews University, has always had a deep passion for literature and books, even in her early childhood. Dr. Matiko was kind enough to donate many books from her personal library to the Nu Sigma book sale that took place on campus from March 7-10. In this interview, Dr. Matiko shares her lifelong experience with books and their significance in her life.
What did books mean to you as a child, and do you have any memorable early reading experiences?
My mother tells me that I wasn't interested in dolls at all as a child–except to line them up and teach them, including reading to them. When my brother came along, he joined the "class." I have seen toddler photos of myself where I am engrossed in a book, pretending to read. I loved reading from an early age and was surrounded primarily by Bible storybooks and other children's books from the Adventist Book Center. When I started school, we were able to order books regularly and my parents very generously allowed me to order whatever caught my interest. I had and used a library card from the moment my local library would issue one to me. Growing up in Toronto, the nearest library was just a 5-minute walk from my house. I visited it regularly, as you can imagine.
When do you think you became a true book lover?
I have always considered books to be beautiful and valuable objects. My parents had quite an impressive library in our home. All the books were hardbacks too. I remember my dad saying, "If a book is worth reading and owning, you should buy a hardback." When I first heard the term "paperback," I didn't know what that meant. My father enjoyed antiquing and would frequently bring home interesting, attractive old editions of the classics for me. He was always on the lookout for first editions too. This habit of his continued well into my college years. I still cherish these gifts from him.
How does your career play into your love of books?
Obviously, as an English professor, books have been the tools of my trade. As a writing and literature professor, and earlier as a student, I was always interested not only in the story or the contents of a book but how the ideas were put together. "Structure" interested me as much as storyline–sometimes more.
How did it feel to part with so many books, and will you continue to build a collection of books?
I probably will become more of a borrower now than a purchaser. I was very happy to donate about half of my collection of books–about 20 boxes. Some of the books I donated I have read. Many I have not. I discovered that it is easier to buy a book than it is to actually carve out the time to read it. I'm happy to have supported so many writers by buying their books. I actually am a very slow reader because I am so interested in analyzing the writer's choices as I read. I am constantly asking myself "Why this word, this phrase, and not something else?" As a new retiree, I want to downsize in every way possible. I realize I won't live long enough to read all the books I already own, so it makes sense to pass them on to someone else who might enjoy them. It really wasn't hard to part with so many of my books. I am probably less attached to possessions than a lot of people. Also, I probably enjoy rereading a favorite book as much as picking up a new one. Rereading is a great pleasure for me. I always find something new in a book–even those that I've taught 20 times or more!
What are some of your all-time favorite reads?
My favorite genres are literary nonfiction and spiritual autobiographies. Today I just finished reading the memoir “The Glass Castle'' by Jeannette Walls. Some of the authors on my shelf that I could not part with include Frederick Buechner, Tracy Chevalier, Michael Cunningham, Annie Dillard, William Golding, Donald Hall, Jhumpa Lahiri, Anne Lamott, Frank McCourt, and of course Virginia Woolf. Woolf is the one writer I probably will return to the most. I have some scholarly work in progress on her that I would like to continue.
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