When I want to read but can't decide quite what I'm in the mood for, I often pick up my old, decrepit copy of Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. I studied from some other Norton anthologies in college, but not this one. I picked this up at a yard sale or something for a buck. The cover is half off of it, it's dog-eared to death and at least three former pupils have made margin notes. But somehow it's a very comforting book. The feel and sound of the pages, the way the spine bends perfectly even though it's 1500 pages, the awesome story selections, the neato discussion questions at the end... it's just a cool friggin book, it often inspires me to read after a dry spell.