After several of you asked me to make a wishlist, I did so. Shortly after that, one of you sent me a book from my wishlist that I've wanted for quite some time, Dinosaurs of the Air, by Gregory Paul (2002). I just received the book today and I want to thank you, Biosparite, for your kindness. As soon as I pulled it out of its packing, I showed this book to several of my colleagues, all of whom are very interested in it and they all thought the drawings are wonderful, too.
By the way, I am sorry for falling silent for so long. I have been overwhelmed these past few weeks with a paper and with teaching responsibilities, and I've also been rather depressed (unemployment woes, what else?).
More like this
Its on my wishlist.
A dear reader checked out my amazon wish-list and sent me
My daughter handed my wife a hand-written Channukah wish-list which I will reproduce for you in its entirety:
Barbie remote corvette
Barbie camper
Ken doll
For real elephant
I'm not sure which one we will get her, but I have my biases.
Look to the left under Suggestions. The suggestions were shamelessly copied from Kenny Craig, the hypnotist in Little Britain (My three year old niece calls it the Vomit Show).
My pleasure, G/S. Have you seen a similar book a few years old now titled ABOVE THE HEADS OF DINOSAURS? Anyway, I picked the book off your list that addressed paleontology, one of my favorite stealth topics as I masquerade as a trial lawyer. I always look carefully when I am collecting in the Cretaceous marine sediments around Austin, TX for bones from birds or pterodactyls. The odds favor my finding one before the sun expands to engulf the Earth.
I also lend books in person or by mail if the recipient swears on a stack of the collected works of Charles Darwin to return the book in a reasonable time.
i would not presume to borrow a book from you or anyone until i have read and reviewed the stack sitting by my bed (there are seven beautiful books there, and most of them are very large, too). i am worried that the publishers will be annoyed that i am not reviewing them fast enough. i try to write one review per week, but really, that's not fast enough, i don't think, unless i skim each book. but i don't want to do that since i specifically request books that i know i will enjoy, so i want read every word -- several times, if i so desire!
biosparite, your concern about the return of books is misplaced. Remember, people keep books they like, and only friends steal your books. Therefor, anyone who returns a book is either a stranger, or unable to appreciate your much-loved tome of knowledge...
Let he who is sinless . . . I once accidentally kept a borrowed copy of Jackson Bate's SAMUEL JOHNSON for two years, since I see the owner, a literary friend of mine, only at Christmas. Nearly two years on after I borrowed the book at Christmas 2002, he fell into despair at finding a good academic job to match his Ph.D in Victorian Lit., so I related how Johnson had overcome so many impediments and continued on to say that I had a scruffy copy of Bate's biography of Johnson and that he could borrow it if he wasn't put off by the bad condition of the cover. I then speculated that I must have found the book on the Houston Library's 75-cent used-book sales shelf since the book was so ratty. At that point he replied, "That's my book." At least I was 1000 miles away and speaking with him on the phone so that my consternation and embarassment were not on view. I returned the book on a Christmas trip in 2004. Sheesh. But in any case, llewelly, I am not going to serve as your enabler re keeping borrowed books.
'... llewelly, I am not going to serve as your enabler re keeping borrowed books.'
Sadly, I have phobias about borrowing things from people I don't expect to visit at least every 3 months. So, I wouldn't be able to take advantage of you even if you were ...