My wife and I stopped by a local used bookstore today and while purchacing a few books I spotted a signed copy of Mostly Harmless. It's $75 and I am seriously considering buying it tomorrow, but I have never bought a used book for that much money.
But Douglas Adams is my favorite author from my youth and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is my favorite book of all time. I can pick it up and randomly open and start reading and I will be smiling and laughing and pondering before even turning a page.
Douglas Adams died a few years ago just before his life long dream to have Hollywood screw up making a movie of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was finally realized. I am still sad. He is probably the public person who is most like me. I feel a connection with his books. Now, I have a chance to have a sign copy of the 5th book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's trilogy.
What to do. What to do. I don't know why I feel so guilty spending $75 for a book. I just spent $36 on three books today. But there's just something about spending $75 on one book, that isn't a textbook, that I feel guilty about.
Well, I am going to get back to reading before I go to sleep. As chance would have it I am reading Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy right now along with Another Fine Myth (rereading these two favorites from youth), The Spencers(bought today, written by Princess Diane's brother about famous Spencers from all the way back to 1066 to the present), The Swedish Social Democrats(bought today, a history book written in 1973) and the Macro Economics and Geography textbooks I am reading this summer. Good times.
Oh, here's something interesting. I bought the book The Spencers because I was adopted and my birth last name is actually Spencer. I may be related to these Spencers. My birth father was a tall red headed fellow. I apparently look like him except for being average height with olive skin and dark brown hair. My birth mother was Italian. But, I have these glittery copper hairs mixed in and bright red cheecks and big full red lips. I don't know if I am related or if related how close, but it is so weird to see pictures of people in this book that look just like me. Every adopted kid dreams they were actually related to royalty. I might actually be... even if really remotely. How funny. One of these days I'll pay for access to the records and find my birth family. Hopefully they aren't all assholes.