Apple Bite Dept.

I got handed a slew of major assignments last week, so to celebrate a bit before disappearing into the salt mine I headed into New York City. Last night's Times Square bomb scare was still fresh in everyone's mind, but I suspected the worst I'd face was lousy traffic. I was right: getting into the city via the 59th St. Bridge was agony, since the entire upper level was closed for the bike marathon. (And if they didn't postpone that, why bother canceling any of my fun?)

First stop: Book-Off, at their new 45th St. location. They've moved and they're huge.

The big find here was something recommended by folks in the comments for my review of 2001 Nights: Yukinobu Hoshino's manga adaptation of James P. Hogan's The Two Faces of Tomorrow. Look for a discussion of that here, real soon.

Then downtown to the Strand:

I never leave this place empty-handed.

• James Cameron's original "scriptment" for Strange Days.
• Yasushi Inoue's memoir Shirobamba.
• Ivan Morris's World of the Shining Prince.
• Sources of Indian Tradition, Vol. 1
• HAL'S Legacy: 2001's Computer as Dream and Reality. Be interesting to see how much has changed, or not changed, in the 10+ years since this was published.

... all of which were $1 bargain bin finds.

Also found a $1 copy of The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film (vintage 1983). It seemed entirely appropriate that the cover sported blob of some effluvia that resembled melted chocolate, which thankfully could be removed with a little Glass Plus and elbow grease.