“One of the great pleasures of traveling for me is finding great used book stores and record shops. I just found a Nellie Lutcher record that included a duet with Nat King Cole. I bought an MFK Fisher book of essays called As They Were that includes stories about two of my favorite subjects–food and California. My intention here is not to recommend specific titles, but to recommend the search for what might appeal to you. Technology has given us a great thing– stores full of orphaned books and vinyl records. There are treasures out there that are difficult to find on line, especially if you don’t know that you’re looking for them. I like the element of fate. The way a book cover or record jacket catches your eye and makes you want to pick it up. I like to think about why certain albums or books survived being discarded and ended up being offered a second life or two or three or four. Most of all, I love finding a singer like Nellie Lutcher for the first time. Happy hunting!” Sam Phillips, singer/songwriter

Kill two birds with one stone. Cheap Kiss Records and Cornerstone Used Books. 22 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park, IL