So there I was, minding my own business. A colleague just received his Mohr-Siebeck catalog. "Look", he says innocently, "a Mohr-Siebeck catalog". We both knew we were in for it. We both share the same sickness: Bibliophilia verging on bibliomania.

Another colleague laughed. "That's just like givin' drugs to a junkie" he said. The scary part: He's not far from the truth.

My first colleague quickly paged through the catalog. We both know Mohr-Siebeck means one thing: premium books at premium prices. I've already got one Mohr-Siebeck title on my to-buy-at-SBL list, it clocks in at 149 euros. Yeesh. Hopefully the discount at SBL will be significant.

I didn't want to look at the catalog because I only knew I'd find something else I would want. So I resolved to myself mentally: Look, but don't touch. Sure, you can look at the books in the catalog, but the chances of finding something that you'd read cover-to-cover are slim. Then my colleague casually tossed the catalog onto his bookshelf. My chance was staring me straight in the face. I had to make a decision, right then and there.

I'm a weak man.

Little did I know. Little was I prepared for what I was about to encounter.

Then I saw it.

"Innocent enough", I thought. The title was From the Lost Teaching of Polycarp: Identifying Irenaeus' Apostolic Presbyter and the Author of 'Ad Diognetum'.

Uh oh. This is serious. Of the works included in the corpus known as the "Apostolic Fathers", Polycarp and Diognetus are my favorites. I enjoy reading them. I've blogged extensively about Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians, the Martydom of Polycarp, the Life of Polycarp and the Epistle to Diognetus -- including how I happened to buy Meecham's critical edition of the Epistle to Diognetus while on a business trip to South Africa.

Then I read the book description. Whoa. This is getting serious. 'Dangerous' might actually be the appropriate word. "This sounds like something I need to read". But, I remembered my resolution: "Look, but don't touch".

Then it happened. I saw the author's name.

The author of the book is Charles E. Hill. He taught me classical Greek and a another religion class on Johannine literature when I was an undergrad at Northwestern College.

I put the catalog down. I couldn't look any further, the danger was too great. How can I not buy this book? Can't you hear it calling to me?

Bottom line: When this book is published (which looks to be soon) I'm out 49 euros (60 bucks?) unless I can hold out until November. I haven't ordered it yet. I think I can hold out. I really hope I can hold out.

Unless I can convince someone somewhere that the book needs to be reviewed, and that I'm the one to review it. But I think the chances of that happening are slim to none.