Okay.  I do have a library card – but to tell you the truth, I’m the sort that prefers to purchase books that I think I’ll enjoy, rather than take them out of the library.  First of all, I don’t like to have to rush to finish a book.  Who knows how my week will go – I want to be able to take my time to enjoy.  Second – if I really like the book, I like to give it to other people to read.  Sure I could tell them to get it at the library themselves, but how many of them will?  This way I can present them with a copy.  Third – I try to buy books that I know I’ll enjoy.  And I know that I will want them to be around so I can re-read them at my leisure or use them for reference.  Last - I have a soft-spot for authors.  Taking the book out of the library doesn’t contribute to the royalties (unless you have multiple blockbuster bestsellers, you need all the royalties you can get).

Don’t get me wrong.  Libraries are great.  I choose to spend a chunk of my disposable income on books.  If that’s not your thing, by all means use the library.

All of this preamble is to let you know that the people behind Don’t Try This at Home  have a follow-up coming out this month, How I Learned to Cook: Culinary Educations from the World’s Greatest Chefs .  Stories from Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Gabrielle Hamilton Daniel Boulud and many more contributed their own stories about learning to cook.   So, off to the bookstore (OK, online bookstore) I go.