Bought a Book

More than once my roommate has said to me in the evening, “James, you’re going to laugh at me, but I bought another book today.” I’ve tried to make it clear to him that I don’t consider this a flaw, but rather a feature. However, I don’t think I’ve ever convinced him that I actually mean that. Perhaps this will…The other day my dad was telling me about reading a review of a book and thinking it would be interesting: Financial Statecraft: The Role of Financial Markets in American Foreign Policy.  Specifically, he thought of me because it seemed like a good combination of International Relations and Economics, two of my majors.  (I told him to find a book that included Theology as well, and then he could get all three majors.)Well, today I was overtaken by my roommate’s book buying passion, it seems.  I was looking at the book on Amazon and got this sudden urge to buy it.  The clincher was that Amazon gave me a “free membership upgrade,” which I intend to cancel in a week, that let me get two day shipping for free.  Which is sad, because I’m an economics major and understand that such an advertising gimmick should have no effect on my rational decision making.  (Besides, am I really going to have time to start reading it in two days?  That is, if I don’t ignore my homework to do it…)It was $30 (sigh…), but it looks absolutely fascinating; I sure hope the reading is as good as I think it will be.  Maybe Joe and I should start a foundation with an endowment “to provide for the continued educational edification of Joe and Jim through purchasing new reading material.”  Anyway, I look forward to reading it and will probably let you all know what I think of it when I’m done.So, roommate, are you convinced yet that I love the fact that you buy books?  Now I’m doing it myself.