to buy or not to buy

“[…] passing up a chance to buy a book can lead to intense pangs of regret later on.
     Just ask Alexander McCall Smith, the Scottish author known around the world for his bestselling mystery series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

     Smith has a heightened profile these days, thanks to the recent release of the latest installment in his Ladies franchise, The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. Just published by Pantheon in a hardcover, the book promises to extend Smith’s popularity among whodunit lovers across the globe.
     But in addition to being an accomplished writer, Smith is, not surprisingly, a voracious reader, too. He recounts some of his bibliophilic adventures in a recent nonfiction title, What W.H. Auden Can Do for You.
     Smith’s Auden book is ostensibly a celebration of the mystery writer’s favorite poet, but Smith’s narrative also includes a few asides about his book-buying adventures during his frequent travels. Among other anecdotes, he offers a cautionary tale about the complications of not buying a book that catches your eye.”
— Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor
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