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Presents the author's reflections on working as a clerk in Brentano's Bookstore in New York City before World War II. Brentano's particular interest in old and rare books; Description of the riffling process, which was done to make sure that old books did not have anything inserted in their leaves before they were resold; Author's failure to riffle a set of books, which had paper money interleaved in them.

States that the old-fashioned kind of book that is printed on paper was the main topic at the May 2002 Book Expo America held in New York City. Description of the conference that featured booksellers, publishers, and authors such as Walter Mosley; Consumer spending on books; Indication that adult fiction writers are entering the market of children's books; Mention of prepublication excitement surrounding Jeffrey Eugenides and his historical novel about a hermaphrodite, 'Middlesex.'