Gift Debrief One – Dorian Gray and Bill Amberg

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and is having a good holiday season in general.  It really is one of my favorite times of the year, and not just because of the inevitable treasure trove that results.  Family, friends, and a feast for the senses – my type of celebration.

That said, I do want to share some of the new objects that have entered my life over the next few weeks.  First off is the book my lovely better half searched out.  Rarely does a holiday or occasion come and go without my library getting a little larger, but this is something truly special.  Last year, leather-goods maker Bill Amberg collaborated with Penguin Classics to produce a set of six specially bound novels.  Eschewing the traditional hard leather cover in favor of a softer, more flexible option, Mr. Amberg covered a few of his favorite novels in buttery calfskin that ages and improves as you read.  You change the book as it changes you.

Thus, my better half gave me another excuse to re-read what is quite possibly my favorite novel – The Picture of Dorian Grey.  It’s a shame Wilde only wrote one novel, but at least it’s a good one.  And there is just something perfect about leaving a mark each time I pick it up.  Very apropos, and equally exciting.  My little yellow, err…brown, book.