Could this be you?
An 86-year-old Montreal man, originally from Seattle, whose four-room apartment is totally filled with books and papers is told it's a hazard that must be cleaned up - he says these are the research materials for the book he has been working on since 1949. Read the story (via Montreal City Weblog) It starts rather badly, but I was happy that the ending is more compassionate.
Asked if he could survive without his books beside him, Butcher said categorically, "No, I'd rather be dead. My only purpose in life is to get my book written, and if I can't, I'd rather be dead now."
That probably *will* be me in another 20 years.
Posted by: Dave | January 28, 2007 at 04:13 PM
You're talking to me, aren't you? Yes, that could be me. It probably will be me. Let's see, I've got thirty years to accumulate another 10,000 books...
Posted by: language hat | January 28, 2007 at 07:25 PM
That could so be me. No, really.
Posted by: blork | January 30, 2007 at 12:13 PM
I could see myself in his place. Was he writing a book about the Collyer brothers?
Posted by: Steve | February 03, 2007 at 10:57 PM