Before I was sucked down the rabbit hole of the Internet with a Smartphone, tablet or computer almost always at hand to answer my every curiosity, I relied on books and libraries. The favorite instant source of my youth was an Encyclopedia Americana. The 24 blue pebbly leatherette volumes, stored together in a special bookcase all their own, called out to me. It excited me that there were 24-volumes of knowledge always at the ready awaiting my curiosity. I loved the photos and line drawings and eagerly read the captions. The articles were clearly illustrated and simply captivated me.
Instead of just using the encyclopedia for school assignments or to address my endless youthful curiosity, I took such a fascination with the blue volumes that I decided to make it my personal project to read the entire encyclopedia. Always an organized student, I kept a blank index card to mark my place. I would carefully tuck it in whichever volume I was reading. After each session I would move my marker from page to page and volume to volume.
Reading the encyclopedia was my project alone. I did not mention it to other members of my family. I thought that I might be ridiculed or teased, or even hounded about how my project was going. It took months for me to work my way through all the volumes, but I did it. I learned a tremendous amount. For many years I was teased as being the household "Answer Man." If anyone had a question, they would pose it to me first. Then, shock of shocks, if I did not know the answer, the questioner would look to more authoritative sources.
My beloved encyclopedia was replaced during my high school years with a larger more impressive Encyclopedia Britannica. I have no idea what happened to my beloved blue leatherette volumes. Today, encyclopedias are artifacts of the past. Now a quick check on my phone or computer will answer any pressing question of the moment such as -- Do birds have teeth? or What do wombats eat? or Where exactly is Azerbaijan?
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