Sometimes living in Berkeley is just like living in a dream.
This afternooon, in a gorgeously breezy, warm (65-ish), cumulus-strewn and peekingly sunny break between alternately Noachically Delugional and St. John the Divinely Apocalyptic storms (“Each Comes Complete with Your Own Power Outage and Free Bonus Reading by Candlelight!”), I took a walk downhill to one of our many unbelievably great Berkeley bookstores, my favorite, Black Oak Books.
And what to my wondering eyes did appear?
But Labat’s Sixth Edition, at a price not too dear!
Yes, rather than a brand new copy, which I had been planning on buying at near $100, I found a used copy in perfect condition, without a single mark but the bookseller’s price in pencil, positively a steal at $35.
On picking up and seeing the price in the most beauteous copy of said Manuel d’épigraphie akkadienne, in the middle of the oh-so-intellectually quiet store, the beguilingly blended wafting scents of damp wool and of aging books all around, Kevin was heard to exclaim, over the unobtrusive tip-tap of patrons’ umbrellas on the wooden floors, and quite indecorously loudly, “Score!” It will deservedly replace my old spiral-bound photocopy, a gift from my Akkadian professor so long ago, of the second edition.
I also picked up a similarly spotless hardback copy of Ugarit in Retrospect: 50 Years of Ugarit and Ugaritic for a mere $25, also a deal as a new copy is about $10 more.
And two loaves of Provolone-Olive bread from the Cheese Board.
And a nice large double mocha espresso at the French Hotel’s café for the walk homeward.
All in all, it was a beautiful day, the penultimate in a weekend through weekend vacation!
Happy New Year to everyone!