What I MEAN is that this stuff, which, for the most part, I get to gloss over when I'm doing data entry -- I learn enough about the book, author, subject, etc. to write a decent description (with a few cases where I have to start googling everything about the book and learn more than I expected) but never have the chance to get to sit and read some of the ones I think are really interesting.
Take the above book. It's the translated journals (from Italian to Latin in th 1600's) of Matthew Ricci, who was the first European man to STAY in China since Marco Polo in the 1300's.
Others had tried, but failed to gain access to China at all. Matthew Ricci did gain access and ended up living there for 27 years, learning the language (written and spoken), the customs and culture and generally making himself into a near native-- while at the same time, becoming the first Missionary in China and building political, social and economic relations between the Occident and the Orient (see, I can come up with some info that SOUNDS interesting with just a bit of time to peer at a book -- imagine the verbosity I could inflict on people if I got to READ these things!)
If I had spare time, I'd love to read this book. And the nifty book about bookbinding in colonial America that also got listed today, and the Complete Journals of Townsend Harris (another early traveller who went and stayed in the Orient). All of these were books I listed on my website today (most are on hold for the book fair until after the 20th of Sept, but if you beg & plead with me before then, I might sell them) but I don't get the chance to really READ them.
Once this batch of book descriptions is done, there's always ANOTHER batch to do that has fascinating titles, intriguing books I'd love to read.
Don't get me started on my obsession with reading.
Ha -- I found out this week, after scouring through my Firsts Magazine back issues to find a particular volume, that I am now officially THREE years behind in reading all my Firsts magazines. AND my Locus Magazines get scanned then put in the same pile to read when I HAVE TIME. And then there's the reference books I want to read. And the reading for fun books...
and, and and....
If you piled up all the books, magazines, etc. that I NEED or WANT to read in one straight stack, it would probably be taller than my husband (I don't count cause according to my kids I'm dinky).
If I get time this afternoon, instead of reading, I'll be covering books with protective covers -- not reading.
But I'll be wishing I could.
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