Reason 70 million thousand I'm glad the library exists -- and I know this is going to sound a little strange -- is the book, The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design. When I came across this on the shelf, I was looking for anything about the history of clothing, for a project I was doing with kids. I picked it up and thought two things: 1. This won't be something I'll share with the kids (in part because of the scholarly treatment of the subject), and 2. Wow. I have to check this out.
I've had a chance to read most of this unusual book, and although I'm finding the topic unsettling and sometimes even offputting, I'm amazed by this slim guide to a world I knew nothing about. I'm impressed with the authors and editors, who had to overcome many barriers in order to publish this -- and grateful to my library for giving me the chance to discover it.
