It's time that the tale were told

Now that I am (likely) leaving Arlington, VA for Portland, OR, I can reveal the great book secret of Arlington. The Goodwill on Glebe Road has the best book selection (dollar for dollar) of any place on Earth. In the past few weeks, I have picked up two Boris Akunin mysteries, Flicker, Little Children, Any Human Heart, Hotel World, Fingersmith and the Translator. All for $1.19 each. I take three lessons from this.

If you live in a wealthy city with lots of smart people but somehow lacking good used bookstores, head down to the Goodwill.

Having really good books does not mean you will read them. I have all of those spread over the house and I read (or at least started) Demons. I make fun of people who buy books to show but never read, but it is not as if I am doing much better this week.

Cheap books increase the spread between book purchases and book reading. The delta is probably 2 or 3 books per week right now. This is unsustainable from a space perspective. Thank goodness back in PDX I will have to make do with Powells.