I read an article a couple of days ago about the books people leave on the subway in New York City. I don’t know why they leave their books — did they mean to? Or did they forget? The Transit Authority collects these books in boxes and takes them to a room called “Lost Property Unit.”

Here’s a sampling of what they found recently:

A few Harry Potters, Huckleberry Finn, The Lord of the Flies, Curious George, a spy novel printed in Russian, The Firefighter’s Workout Book, The Glucose Revolution, many devotional books (some in Hebrew and some in Arabic), Life in a Medieval Monastery, and How to Meet the Right Woman: A Five-Step Strategy That Really Works.

They also boxed up ten cases of Bibles.

I find that interesting, especially the fact that people are reading devotional books and Bibles. Do you read a devotional book? I read Michelle Medlock Adams’ DAILY WISDOM FOR MOTHERS, as well as a few others. Everybody has been talking about Joyce Meyer, so I sometimes read one of hers as well. I also like Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, especially this new version I have that has an index in the back.

When I lived in Japan, I noticed many adults were reading comic books on the train — manga. I know comics and graphic novels are on the rise here now — but in our part of the country where everybody drives cars, I don’t know any adults who read comic books.

I used to ride the train home at night and see exhausted businessmen in suits, bouncing along with the rhythms of the train, hunched over thick comic books. I just found this so fascinating I signed up for a semester-long class at a university called “Manga.” It was taught by an American who was married to a Japanese woman. We had to pick a comic series and read it all semester. I read about a little girl named “Sasae-chan” who was sort of like a Dennis the Menace and always getting into trouble.

I miss riding the train and being able to see what people are reading. The closest thing that comes to that now is watching the other moms in the car rider pick-up line at the elementary school. Most are talking on their cell phones or reading the newspaper. A few read books, but I can’t see what they’re reading. Whenever I see someone with a book, I’m so nosy I really want to know what they’re reading. It will tell me a lot about their personality.

Well, I’m off to my Beth Moore study this morning. We’re going to be reading Believing God. I’ll let you know how it goes!