M&D in "real life"

[Paul DiFilippo]

Set sail on Saturday, metaphorically speaking, on the Providence 
Newport ferry, for a relaxing hour and half ride down Narragansett 
Bay.  Out on the upper deck, in the crisp air and jolly sunshine,
my mate deborah and I sat next to a youngish fellow, rether
bohemianly dressed.  Out from his knapsack he takes, what else,
but a copy of M&D.  But what a copy!  No dustjacket, front cover
showing the marks of previously being bent in half, a meeting
with water having caused the pages to be stained blue from selfsame
cover.  Guy starts reading somewhere past the midpoint of the
book, and I can see various annotations on the page--underlinings,
checkmarks, etc.--indicating this is no first time perusal--as
if the state of the book hadn't already revealed that!  Anyhow,
I debated striking up a conversation with him, but never did, 
leaving him to his maritime enjoyment of M&D.  Now, a question:
what other author inspires this kind of dedicated study?

--
Paul DiFilippo & Deborah Newton/2 Poplar/Prov., RI 02906
401-751-0139  "How small does an event have to be before it 
ceases to be an event?"--Will Self, "Grey Area".