Through the years, through just about all my years, I have been enamored of a well-turned phrase, a deftly delivered line, a putting together of words that touch me, reach through to me, in sometimes an almost ineffable way.

If you, kind reader, experience similar emotions in this regard, then you understand. And if you don’t, then, what can I say?

At the risk of over-simplification let me offer this observation: There are three kinds of people. Those who know, those who don’t know, and those who don’t know they don’t know.

This third group — and this is just my opinion — most probably aren’t readers. That is, reading books isn’t their “thing.” They just don’t know that they don’t know.

Now, I’m not just talking about information, facts. They can get this on the Internet. No, I’m talking about a whole ‘nother world that books offer us.

Maybe a love of books, of reading, is a gift.  If so, how fortunate we recipients are. Few things are more enjoyable, more looked forward to, then reading a good book. Television and very few movies can compare.

To know that at some point in the day you are going to return to a good book you are reading is a wonderful thought. There’s such a pleasant anticipatory feeling.

My First Wife always writes a summary of every book she reads. She has filled up many notebooks. I wish I had been doing that over these many, many years.

I have thought that reading is a poor man’s pleasure.  It’s cheaper than just about any avocation you can think of.  This isn’t to say, of course, that reading is just for the non-affluent.

A real highlight for Sally and me each year is the Friends of Brown Library used book sale. This event offers a veritable cornucopia of reading opportunities, and raises significant funds for the library. Perhaps my favorite gifts to receive — for Father’s Day, birthday, and

Christmas — are gift cards for book stores. Nothing better.

Both of our daughters love to read. For that we are grateful, as are they.

May it be so with the grandchildren.

And with you and yours.

APROPOS — “ A man (or woman) is known by the company his mind keeps.” — Thomas Bailey Aldrich