Evidence of a tainted youth...

My father just forwarded this image, circa 1969. I am two years old and already attempting to pull Ulysses off the shelf for a quick read. I thought my downfall was writing a book report on Finnegan's Wake at 15 (cyclically and using Joyce's style/language).

It begs an interesting question, are bibliophiles born or taught? Both, I think.

To tie back to the dealbreaker/dealmaker post, this reminded me of going to an acquaintance's house one, long ago. He was a very strange egg, very serious code monkey and math genius. His bookshelves were packed with math and programing volumes with one exception. The *only* fiction in his house (and out of approx. 1000 volumes) was one long shelf, dead center, with a copy of pretty much everything Joyce produced between boards. It was, of course, arranged chronologically...as I recall, "Holy Office" through "Finnegan's Wake" with the three volume set of Joyce's letters finishing the shelf. Absolutely and completely changed my opinion of him...we have been friends ever since.