Read

Last month a prominent newspaper ran an article that listed the 100 best books of the 21st century as determined by a group of esteemed authors. I surveyed the titles hoping to find some correlation with my own list. Not many. A few days later the same newspaper printed a similar list as determined by its readers. Fewer still matched mine. One of my (many) fantasies is to open a bookshop. Small. Dark wooden bookshelves. Brass lamps with Edison lights. Maybe a cat. Live preferably. Certainly, a dog. Also living. No cell phones. There would be a radio for news in the event the world is ending, and from which select musical formats would play. There would be tufted leather armchairs. Complimentary espresso and single malt scotch, if I like you. I would wrap the purchased books in brown pap…