There are moments that can change our lives without us realizing it until a long time after. In my case, for example, my father's decision to buy an encyclopedia of 'Reader's Digest' back in the 70's, while I was in high school, charged a powerful string. My father was serving in the merchant marine as a captain at that time, and it so happened to be his off-duty evening that winter when the encyclopedia sales agent knocked on our apartment door. The proceedings were quick, and along with the wonderfully plastic-bound volumes of the encyclopedia, there was also a collection of 20th century classic literature books, all in the English language. The hefty volumes, as well as the books that came with the encyclopedia, took their place in our library being referenced occasionally as time went by. A decade later, my mother's sister Mary, who kept a hairdresser's shop, came to visit us one night bringing with her a bag full of secondhand paperbacks. These books, all in different foreign languages, were given to my aunt by a good woman who made her hair at her shop. I still remember my aunt asking me and my brother: 'Hey you boys, these books I have here! Take a look and if you are interested you may keep them, otherwise you can throw them away!' Of course, I kept the books, and have them still proudly in my library, as, back in the 80's, I sought ways to better my English. The good woman who presented us the bundle loved mystery novels and there were amongst them many of Agatha Christie's, some other of G.K. Chesterton and Dorothy L. Sayers, and many more. My first read was 'Franchise Affair' by Josephine Tey, a novel that has a special place in my heart. As the years went by, I read them all, but it was the collection that came with the encyclopedia that opened the horizons to authorship. The splendidly bound books introduced me to Joseph Conrad and his 'Lord Jim'. I did not realize it at first, but that book left its mark on me, it took me by the hand and made me see the world as I had never seen it before. The power of those moments is still driving my steps and will guide me to the very end.
