The Smell of Books and Other Random Things

I've heard it said before that smell is the strongest tie to memory we have as humans. Yesterday while curled up on the couch with my book, I was overcome with the urge to smell the pages. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it still had that brand new fresh-off-the-shelves smell that can only be found in a bookstore. Instantly, I was transported back to my childhood to the day when my mom took me to the Barns and Noble store in KC. I remember the sense of awe I had while walking in the doors. The overwhelming feeling that no matter how long I lived, I could never read every single book on all those shelves. As a 22 year old about to graduate college, I wish I would have kept a list of all the books I've read since childhood. I have a fear of literary amnesia.