My Year of Books: By the Numbers

"Well, hello!  Come in, come in.  Stamp the snow off your boots and step inside.  Cold out there today, isn't it?....I suppose you're here to see the library, aren't you?....Here, let me take your coat.  I'll just toss it over here for now.  You don't mind if the cats use it as a temporary bed, do you?....Would you like a drink?  I've got some chilled wine--or maybe you'd rather have three fingers of whiskey in a tumbler?....What's that?  A gin and tonic?  Sure,...