I really should quit reading haphazardly. As a collector it is bad for my financial
health and shelf space. This habit occasionally sparks a willpower failure and
results in the purchase of something totally unexpected. On reflection, it is not the reading itself
that is dangerous but easy access to online book searching while I’m reading. However,
books happen and the postal lady—named Judy, now a close friend--just dropped
off this latest addition. It is I think
a great association item and I imagine long after I’m gone it will assume its
proper place in the book pantheon, perhaps foundationing a future collection
that I would admire but probably couldn’t afford. I’m just glad I got to it first. As formidable English collector Michael
Sadleir said, ”In nature, the bird who gets up earliest catches the most worms,
but in book collecting the prizes fall to birds who know worms when they see
them.”
The
catalyst was a glance at the January 11, 2014 news headline, “Historic Smoking
Report Marks 50th Anniversary.”
