Collections of Nothing

I suppose one might be amazed at the subjects that fill the hundreds of thousands of books published each year—and though I don’t want to sound jaded, I must say that I am no longer. Though, of course, many books give me pause for a lingering inspection of the cover, a quick flip through the index, a cursory glance at the table of contents, and perhaps a peek at the author’s note or acknowledgment—and even a sample of the introduction or first chapter. Collections of Nothing by William Davies King is just such a book. Here, from the first chapter, entitled “Nothing Lost,” Davies King provides a concise and descriptive context:

Added to the droll humor (“brace of children”) and linguistic playfulness (“sphericity”), Collections of Nothing does more than a commendable and enjoyable job of meditating on the impulse to accumulate. It is also a thoughtful and jargon-free rumination on existence and human interaction. I would quote the book’s last sentence—but I am leaving you the pleasure of discovering it.