When my husband and I first married we had one tall bookshelf. My collection of drama, British and American literature, Christian fiction and children’s books took up most of the shelves while Dan had the bottom shelf lined with engineering manuals. His had titles like Solar Energy and Instructions on Heat Transfer. I stared at the titles and wondered at the need of keeping the college texts. He never turned the page on any of them as far as I could tell. I approached him and asked if I could donate them to the library. I only asked once as his face morphed into a very sad husband quickly.
I slunk away in shame.
However, over the years I, myself, have ventured into the world of mechanical engineering but only in reference. I never stay in there very long as the language is very wordy and somehow I begin to feel sleep deprived when learning about physics, basic chemistry, alternative energy, and convection heat transference.
However, our second daughter, Katie is very knowledgeable when it comes to mechanical structure and combustion engines. She and my husband can talk endlessly on the virtues of this car and that car and why this Honda would never be able to compare to a ‘big block’ whatever.
I’m completely out of my league.
Just a couple of days ago another conversation was taken up on the vast amount of engineering textbooks lining the shelf. Katie told her dad she had taken up another one of his books and asked him questions about his time in the class. They discussed the book at length when Katie turned to him and said, “Dad, we need to start a book club.” I laughed out loud. These two are very quick to make fun of arts and crafty writers. This time I had my chance.
“Yes, I’ll place it in the community brief section of the paper. I see it now (insert hand motion). ‘Book club for science nerds held at local coffee shop. Thursday nights. Book to be discussed is Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals by John Heywood. Read the first three chapters for discussion.’ I’m sure you’ll fill the shop with members.’
They both looked at me and laughed at my version of comedy. It’s not easy holding my own with such a crowd of engineering-science-types.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Manual vs. fiction