You were a man who liked facts, information. Not that context and shades of grey weren't of interest, but as a general rule you liked precision. I remember in Junior High School that my teacher told us that the US entered WW2 in 1942, and you were horrified. You also corrected that detail quickly: December (8th?), 1941.
So obviously, growing up we had a lot of reference books. A whole set of World Book encyclopedias, a set of children's encyclopedias (I used them to look up glossy animal photos, of course), law textbooks, dictionaries, etc.
One funny addition to that canon was a dog encyclopedia. I am not sure where you got it, or when exactly, but any time you heard about a new breed, or if we were wondering about a certain type of dog's temperament, out came the book.
Just a couple of years ago, there was a puppy that I saw frequently out on walks in Tribeca, near my office. I can't remember the name of the breed for the life of me, but it was absurdly cute, even-tempered, and calm, and I tried to convince you and mom to get one. Out came the book again - but it wasn't in there! It's a new breed, and they come from Canada. I remember distinctly feeling sad for you that your book wasn't up to snuff. I need to look for this book next time I visit Mom.
xx
M
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