If a friend writes that he is feeling down today, you might write back with some words you hope will lift his spirits. Or, aware of the likelihood of a message of sympathy being helpful, you might write a message of understanding. Trying to lift his spirits or trying to sympathize with him, you would be reacting to what you read in his message. Books can work the same way. Even if the author wrote centuries ago, when you read his message, you might form a mental reaction to his writings. That is what happens to me with many books.
It might be just the title. If I have read the book, the title or the sight of the book might remind me of something I read in it. When I see "Three Cheers for Me", I remember a Canadian soldier in World War II who tried to be brave and useful but who made a mistake. He captured one of his commanding officers instead of the enemy officer he was sent to abduct. If I didn't have that book, I wouldn't think of it. I wouldn't remember him or the incident.
That's the way it is with books on our shelves. Each one stands for a subject, for memories, for ideas. About five years or so ago, we gave away about 700 books. We were swamped with them. Caring for them, dusting them, took time and effort but most of them remained untouched year after year. Still, I was surprised at how many memories and thoughts were departing when we gave them to a local used book sale.
I know that I don't remember everything in any book of 200 pages or more. But when I see the book, and usually when I see the title in a list, memories of some of the book's contents come to mind. I thought of tearing out pages of special importance and then tossing the book but I could tell that the result would be about the same. I would end up with folders or scraps or excerpts but I wouldn't need them. I wouldn't handle them or refer to them.
I feel like I am seeing the same process in many things, basically shrinkage and a loss. Of course, it wouldn't be a loss if I hadn't at one time used the book, reacted to its contents. I realize I can't remember all the books I have read and that such an inability doesn't matter in the long run. You can see that why I have them and what I do with them is not something simple and straightforward.
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