Monday, October 17, 2005

Books I'm buying at SBL/ETS

I've got my immediate wish list for the various book stalls at SBL/ETS:

Charles Talbert, Romans
George W. Nickelsburg, Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins
John P. Meier, Marginal Jew, vol. 2

John Nolland on Matthew will be tempting; as will Justification and Variegated Nomism vol. 2. I'll see how I go facing temptation. Of course, there are a hundred or so book retailers and it will be quite difficult to keep myself fiscally restrained at every point. But I'll stick to my philosophy: use a book before you buy it; that' what I tell students anyway.

These are books I've used and I've decided that they would be good to have on hand for future course preparation and research. I am hoping to get them with the big discount that everyone keeps telling me about! If I've been informed correctly, the biggest discounts are available on day one, right?

Oh gosh, I miss my library (which should have docked in London last Saturday along with my wifes clothes, baby toys, some insulin for the kids and other non-essential stuff). I fear that pirates in the Strait of Malacca have captured the boat and ditched my books over the starboard side. In doing my lesson prep you have no idea how many times I wish I had my four black IVP dictionaries? Then I have to walk all the way down to the library two or three times a day to look up stuff (aagh!).

That reminds me of a cool Erasmus quote:

When I get a little money I buy books; and if there is any left I buy food and clothing.


I dedicate that citation to my good friend Ben Myers just to show my fondness for Erasmus (at this point at least).

3 comments:

J. B. Hood said...

Just remember that your pounds go along way when they turn into dollars!

Good advice on use before you buy (especially on something as expensive as NIGTC).

Got any blogging to do on good anecdotes from class?

Ben Myers said...

Thanks, Mike -- and it's one of my own favourite quotations!

Of course, Erasmus had no wife or children, which explains a few things. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, the motto tends to be: "when I get a little money I buy food, clothes and toys; if there is anything left, I ask my wife if I can buy a book."

Craig (mars-hill) said...

I sure know that feeling...Perhaps singledom really is a gift?