Folio 2009/2010
It's that time of year again, when I have to make decisions between Impossible Journeys (Matthew Lyons) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (John Le Carré), between The Authentic Gospel of Jesus (Geza Vermes) and The Persian Expedition (Xenophon), between Lord of the Flies (William Golding) and The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton), between James Watson's The Double Helix and Bruce Chatwin's The Songlines.
How does one choose between Dorian Gray and Robin Hood? Or The Great Game (Peter Hopkirk) and Empires of the Word (Nicholas Ostler)? It is always difficult, and yet it is always easy. You buy them all, realising that for the earnings of two hours' work, you will gain eight hours of pleasure, repeatable at will.
So now... Bede or Xenophone? Short stories or poetry? Argh... those who have always sneered at the hypothetical choice of books or food have obviously never been enthralled by a book that keeps you reading until you forget you're supposed to have had dinner, gone to bed, or met your date.
But those are other stories, and I shall not say more for now.
How does one choose between Dorian Gray and Robin Hood? Or The Great Game (Peter Hopkirk) and Empires of the Word (Nicholas Ostler)? It is always difficult, and yet it is always easy. You buy them all, realising that for the earnings of two hours' work, you will gain eight hours of pleasure, repeatable at will.
So now... Bede or Xenophone? Short stories or poetry? Argh... those who have always sneered at the hypothetical choice of books or food have obviously never been enthralled by a book that keeps you reading until you forget you're supposed to have had dinner, gone to bed, or met your date.
But those are other stories, and I shall not say more for now.
etched with acid at 8:28:00 pm
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