Arrived this morning - so will review as soon as read. Although it is 512pp, that in usual Gill style includes a lot of refs, bibliography and OBs. So, 335 pp to read.
In the days when you could browse in a bookshop (which COVID rules mean you still can't do), I would always read the footnotes and references first.
If they were mostly populated by fantasists and hagiographers, that would be a combat indicator that it was more likely heading back to the shelf rather than home with me.
I got caught out once by someone for whom over 50% of his footnotes were for his own companion work, which he'd not yet published! Oh well, a fool and his money are easily parted!
In the days when you could browse in a bookshop (which COVID rules mean you still can't do), I would always read the footnotes and references first.
If they were mostly populated by fantasists and hagiographers, that would be a combat indicator that it was more likely heading back to the shelf rather than home with me.
I got caught out once by someone for whom over 50% of his footnotes were for his own companion work, which he'd not yet published! Oh well, a fool and his money are easily parted!
You don't read the notes? Often the best part.