OK, read the Preface. I never really know whether I _should_ read prefaces.

A lot of people tell me: “Oh, I never read prefaces, prologues,

introductions, all that front matter. If the book itself is no good, what

difference will the preface make?” On the other hand, I like Dr. Johnson’s

principle: Figure out what the author is trying to do, then form a judgment

about whether he did it or not, and how well. If he tells you in the

preface what he’s trying to do, that saves you guessing. There is also a

school of thought that says one should read the body of the book first,

then go back and see how well the preface fits… OK, OK, whatever:

starting in on Chapter 1. Uh-oh, wait a minute, got to pick up kids from

bus stop…