"He might think he wouldn't be given them, if he did. Or he might think he doesn't deserve them. I've seen patrons who stopped eating, in their melancholy, because nothing sounded pleasing -- but they still needed food."

Brix shakes her head.

"Andrew may be eating, but he's not feeding his heart, or his mind. If books have nourished him before, I can see little harm in bringing him a few whether he requests them or not."