If you read a lot, and I do, sooner or later you're faced with a conundrum - keep buying full price?, go to the library?, or buy used? I go for all three. O.K., O.K., I have a problem. What are the next 11 steps?

The fun thing about buying used is finding traces of other people. Who's "Pixie", and where the hell did she (he?) get that name? Was it Dad's pet name for her? I sure hope so, 'cause an adult going through life hanging on to "Pixie" as a name....well..... Still, she gave "Dad" a book, attaching some meaning to the gift (or did she?), and it wound up in a used book store. Did Dad die? Was Dad just cleaning out his bookshelves? Was Pixie not quite Dad's favourite child?

All of which reminds me, "Nothing To Be Frightened Of", Julian Barnes's latest book, is well worth a read. Especially if you find yourself in a similarly chronologically advanced state to mine. Yep, it's all about death. One's own. I think I'm more in agreement with his brother - "Julian, it's going to happen. There's nothing after. Get over it." - but it's nevertheless interesting to read the thoughts of someone as, um, well, thoughtful, as Barnes. If you've never read any of his novels, get on it for cryin' out loud.