The Collection by Peter Ackroyd

I stumbled on to this book by accidental at a Borders sale.

Ackroyd's literary expressions are refreshingly precise and concise. There's no unconscious display of verbosity or even a hint of superiority that is generally common among some of the lesser known authors.

It has been a long time since I have come across a writer of Ackroyd's calibre. The last time I found someone whom I thought had an unusual way with words was Thomas Babington Macauley.

Macauley lived in 19th century England. Sometimes as one journeys nonchalantly across the dominion of words, one meets a stranger who offers more than a friendly nod or a warm shake of hands.

Peter Ackroyd is a wonderful writers. He can spin a tale, tell a story or reviews a biography with the touch of a learned ancient one.

I would have been pleased if we could meet over coffee and discuss books and life in general without any forethought of carrying the friendship beyond the dining table.

England has produced many fine writers through the ages. Ackroyd just happens to belong to our century - the 21st.

May he continue to illuminate this realm of words that serve as a beacon for us searching for that wonderful turn of phrase and a clutch of artistic expressions that will sustain our literary interest in our hours of solitude.