Chapter 1
I have been around for quite a number of years now; I won`t say how many. But through the decades I have noticed that there are things and places and ideas that have risen above the maelstrom of everyday living in the twenty-first century. These brands, places, objects and so on, seem to have a sheen that is more sublime than their peers. They stand out because of their quality, their allure or simply because of their ability to stand out from the crowd.
There is a commonality to these icons of style, interest and desire. For some reason they all seem to begin with the letter B. And that is what this book is about. For those of you that read my โusualโ works, you may find this opinion piece an oblique shift from writing murder mystery or sword and sorcery fantasy. But to me it is a way to catalogue a number of ideas into a collective opus so that others may use it toโฆโฆ.
Well, that is the question. What should such a list be used to do? Is it a guide to all of the expensive brands in life? No; it is much more. And some of the โbrandsโ that I give page-time to are not that expensive at all. Some are very commonplace but are rightfully included here for the reasons that I will set out. I explore the very question in this compendium about exactly what this comprehensive list should be used for, viewed as, and contemplated.
So, time to explore my view of all of the best things in life that herald from the material world and the ethereal. Here they are in no particular order. And of course, they all begin with the letter B.
