Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Giving In to Temptation

Some of you may remember when I mentioned the two dangerously-leaning stacks of books behind the chair in my studio, and how I was going to whittle them down by reading them and then putting them away on the shelves. Well, so far I haven't read a one of 'em, because I had some library books checked out that I thought I ought to read, and I've also been doing some research reading. Yesterday I went to the library intending to be strong and just turn the books in, then leave without checking out anything else.

Well, good intentions, road to hell, you know how that bit goes . . .

Right there in the new books display that I had to walk past were a slew of large print reprints of old pulp Westerns. I tried to be strong and pass them by, but then I noticed a copy of THE SQUARE SHOOTER by Walt Coburn. Although he was very inconsistent as a writer, I find Coburn's work to be entertaining even when it's not very good, and it just so happens that THE SQUARE SHOOTER is a book of his that I don't own. So I had to get it, of course. And if I was checking out one book, surely it wouldn't hurt to get another. When I saw THE SCOUT OF TERROR TRAIL by Walker A. Tompkins, another favorite, I couldn't resist it, either. And then I noticed TRAIL BOSS FROM TEXAS by Barry Cord (Peter Germano), another writer I really like.

I checked out all three of those books, naturally, but I was strong enough to leave behind a couple by William Colt MacDonald and a few others whose authors I don't recall at the moment. I'm reading the Tompkins book tonight. I can still read regular print books without any trouble, but the older I get, the more I like large print editions.

And I will get to those stacks behind my chair. Before they fall on me again, I hope.

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