Smell of an Earlier Time

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"The books in the shelves in front of me, sure enough, are. . .mainly books of Japanese poetry. Tanka and haiku, essays on poetry, biographies of various poets. . . .When I open them, most of the books have the smell of an earlier time leaking out between the pages-- a special knowledge and emotions that for ages have been calmly resting between the covers." 

                                                 -- Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore