One of the books that I'm doggedly trying to complete is The Canterbury Tales, by that charming fellow Geoffrey Chaucer. It's not my first attempt, and sadly, I'm certain it's not going to be my last, either. But I'm pleased with myself for the effort, but that's precisely what it is. And I have put forth a lot of effort in this. I've done a fair bit of research about various publications of The Canterbury Tales and, I can agree: it's all about the translation. And this is where Welsh...

One of my favorite books is a JG Ballard novel entitled High-Rise because the story is good, the cover style appeals to me, and because it is just the right size. I got it at a second-hand bookstore, and it has that slightly musty paperback smell. It was owned by a Lillian something-or-other which threw me for a second, because I would have expected to find her name carefully etched into a classics novel or possibly a mystery novel penned by some female writer under an initialed pseu...