Was on a plane to Amsterdam today and had this thought about books in my life and how they influenced me:
I love the way you go about in a secondhand bookstore. Usually I drift towards SF, maybe some Fantasy. History will get me too. No instant knowledge of likes, no reference, just an untrue image on the cover and/or the sell on the back. Past books by author, critic and 'Oh, he's good' way in on the balance. Money's on the other side. Can buy one hardcover or two maybe three paperbacks. Gotta choose. Hands on, no mouse or return-delivery. You took it out of the rack, card trough the machine and it's yours. Intuition made you do it. Now read it and judge …