I ordered a bunch of books and they're all coming! One shipment I got already. It includes "Never Let Me Go," as well as "The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living." But the one I was most excited about was one I had bought to give to N. He was equally excited to see it but he is finishing another book so I get to read this one first.

It is "Trawler" by Redmond O'Hanlon. I have been reading Redmond O'Hanlon since those Vintage Departures editions of his books about Borneo and the Amazon back in the late 80s. And I am proud to say his last two books I bought in hardback as soon as I could get them. The Borneo and Amazon books were funny and learned and really wonderful. His next book, about the Congo, got very weird. He did the same thing in that book that he always does: goes on a massive expedition into the jungle with some odd companion. But there were points in the Congo book where I got the feeling he was losing his mind. It was a very dark book and not a romp like his other two.

So "Trawler" -- I really wasn't sure what it was going to be. I hadn't even heard it existed, and then I saw it on the shelf someplace where I didn't want to buy it. But the very next opportunity, I got it, and between ordering it and getting it I anticipated it. And now I am reading it. It is art. I am moved by it and feel privileged to read it. It's his Moby-Dick, down to the messed-up punctuation and overuse of italics.