The world’s largest Amazon.com box arrived on my doorstep a few minutes ago. Inside was the monumental Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World (it weighs in at nearly 10 pounds, hence incurring a shipping surcharge from Amazon).

I’ve long coveted the atlas, even though a classicist friend of mine was decidedly sniffy about it when it was published. My generous sister and brother-in-law thought it was the appropriate gift for my 50th birthday.

Scholars may have gripes, but for a classical amateur like me it is both beautiful and inspiring. My only problem is that I have so much real work to do (hence the neglect of Davos Newbies) that I don’t know when I’ll have time to look carefully through its pages.