Monday, November 8, 2010

On Guard

When I stand in front of my bookshelves, I tend to always discover a book that I did not know I had. (This either means I have too many books or I have a really bad memory - let's not explore this question further.) Today's title which has now jumped in the reading queue: Gentlemen's Blood: A History of Dueling from Swords at Dawn to Pistols at Dusk. As I flipped through the pages, the phrase: "the saber never did go out of vogue" grabbed me. A writer of arms with a sense of style? Then I turned back to the book jacket to find the author, Barbara Holland.

Readers, we lost Barbara Holland in September at the age of 77. When you search for a few of her titles, you will discover she was a "defender of small vices," which includes martinis, naps, a cigar or two and swearing. I am wondering how I ended up with her book on dueling before "The Joy of Drinking" but I suspect this was a wise choice.

As you enter you week, indulge in a small vice or two...for Ms. Holland.

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