a picture of me holding an octavo from the 17th century — soledades de buçaco by bernarda ferreira de lacerda — with the spine cradled by the palm of my hand while my fingers lightly catch the leaning covers and pages to reveal roughly where the book “wants” to open.

where do the pages fall open when you prop a book lightly? this precious copy of Soledades de Buçaco at the National Library of Portugal has a “desire part” on romance X — a poetic rendering of discalced carmelite monastery life. the pages are also more translucent. #FLAD #BNP #FLADBNPfellowship