Two Brothers On An Encyclopedic Adventure

From World Book Wonders to Britannica Bliss

Back in the mid-seventies, my parents did something extraordinary. They bought a complete set of World Book encyclopedias from a door-to-door salesman. 

OK, you might be thinking, "Big deal.”  But for my brother and me, growing up as two Black kids in a middle-class neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, it was like having an abundant  fruit tree in our backyard. In other words, it was bibliophilic rapture!

My brother, ever the selective reader, would dive into volumes with the precision of a surgeon. Me? I was on a mission - a quest to devour every single page of that encyclopedia set. Picture a young kid, eyes wide as saucers, determined to become the smartest man on the planet. 

Spoiler alert: I'm still working on it.

Our World Book collection was more than just a set of books. It was our window to the universe. Every three years, like clockwork, my parents updated our collection. This was crucial in those pre-internet days - our main source of staying current. These volumes weren't just books; they were our Google before this search engine was even a thing.

In my Catholic K-12 schooling and high school, these encyclopedias were invaluable. I still remember my first-ever term paper in 8th grade. The topic? The brain and how it functions. I bet you can guess where all my research came from. That's right, hours pouring over those encyclopedia volumes, piecing together information like a detective.

Fast forward to my college years at Ohio State. Picture this: I'm at the student union, minding my own business, when this young, attractive salesperson approaches me. Next thing I know, I'm the proud owner of a $1,500 set of Encyclopedia Britannica. Yes, you read that right - $1,500! I might as well have had "easy target" written on my forehead.

For the next three years, post-graduation, while working in healthcare, those Britannicas were the crown jewels of my 870 sq foot apartment on the Northwest side of Columbus, Ohio. They stood there, a testament to my undying thirst for knowledge (and perhaps a slightly impulsive buying decision).

Looking back, these encyclopedic escapades were more than just a journey through pages and pages of information. They shaped me. They were the stepping stones in my quest to be able to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere, on any topic. That's why I read.

In today's world, where information is just a click away, I often think back to those encyclopedic days. There was something magical about flipping through those pages, the thrill of discovery in each volume. It wasn't just about acquiring knowledge; it was about the journey, the adventure of learning something new each day.

So, here's to the World Books and Britannicas of the world. They might be relics of a bygone era, but for a kid from Columbus, Ohio, they were the keys to unlocking the universe. And hey, who knows? Maybe one day, I'll finally achieve my dream of becoming the smartest man on the planet. A guy can dream, right?

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