Can't Count This?

During the first week of school, I visited Faulkner Guy's office to chat with him and see all the great books, posters and games he picked up during his winter vacation in the United States. During this visit, I "read" an intriguing book titled Zoom by Hungarian-born illustrator Istvan Banyai.

The word "read" is in quotation marks because Zoom is a picture book in its purest form. No words whatsoever. The concept is a camera that zooms out and out and out. I hope I'm not spoiler-ing when I tell you that the first image is a close-up of a rooster's comb and the last image is outer space.

Right before I left, I rummaged for a pen in my bag. "Who's the author of Zoom, again? I need to add this to my list."

Faulkner Guy gave me a puzzled look. "Your 'books read' list for the year?"

"Yes."

"You can't count that!"

"Sure, I can! It's a book, isn't it?"

"It doesn't have any words."

"But it's cool! The coolness factor makes up for the wordless factor!"

"You can't count a book that has no words. You read it in about 5 minutes."

The argument ended because I had to go to my Intermediate Conversation class, but it still rankles. Gertrude Stein famously said "A rose is a rose is a rose," but I'm sure that if she'd been thinking clearly and soberly that day she would have said "A book is a book is a book."

I didn't add Zoom to my reading journal. Not yet. Maybe Faulkner Guy has a point. It doesn't have any words, so I didn't really read it.

Of course, I didn't "read" (or "re-read") Great Expectations last month. But it has words which the entirely crushworthy Hugh Laurie read so engagingly.

What about my reading list? Do I really mean "books read" or "books consumed"?

Am I too eager to inflate my totals and reach triple digits by December? Am I too greedy about wanting to add another international author to my reading stats?

Last evening, I discussed this with Alex from the Cracked Spinz book group. After listening thoughtfully and asking a couple of questions, he reminded me of the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words and said that I should certainly count Zoom. Of course, he was in the process of admiring my bookshelves and picking out a few to borrow, so was he truly objective?

I've decided to take this reading experience and put it to a vote. Shall I count it or not? Who's right -- Faulkner Guy or me?

I suppose if I get no comments at all, then that counts as wordlessness -- which, given the nature of this debate, might be interpreted as one for my side. Take that, Faulkner Guy!