I have been on a reading binge recently. One reason for this is that I've been able to select very engaging books that really get my brain turning. The world we live in can be so fascinating, and certain books really showcase that truth. (Here's a nod to Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, which I recently finished...it qualifies.)

The other reason for my reading binge is the local neighborhood library. As a consumer of books I am terribly cheap. I have a real problem with spending my money on books that I may or may not like and may or may never read more than once. And even when I have the luxury of a gift card it's often a painful process for me to select one quality book from the 100,000 titles. I just don't want to get the wrong one.

But the library removes that problem. I don't have to be frugal or discerning. I can simply grab what I want and go. Even more appealing is the fact that it's incredibly easy to request library books online, even if the book is checked out or not available at the local branch, it will eventually be put on reserve for me and I receive an email when it's ready to be picked up.

But there is one problem with the library. I have been reading so many great books containing so many fascinating ideas and concepts, and yet I have no access to them once those books are returned. My memory is fairly pathetic and so I have already wished, on numerous occasions, that I had such and such a book on my shelf so I could refer to the details of a particular account.

One solution would be to purchase the books that I really enjoyed. But I'm afraid that could get out of hand fairly quickly.

Perhaps there's a book in the library that could help me with this dilemma....