A fear of running out of things to read. How could I represent a negative – something missing? With all the books in the world, how could a lack of books happen? Book burning came to mind, and I was off and running. In an art supply store, I found an amazing handmade black paper with random, asymmetrical holes. By underlaying it with a red paper, I had the embers of a fire. Out of a single sheet of plywood, I slowly and carefully cut the combined outlines of books that would, when painted a ghostly hue, represent the books burned, floating above the embers. Above that layer I floated a message: BAN BOOK BURNING and a subtext BETTER READ THAN DREAD that played off the 60’s anti-nuclear maxim Better Red than Dead. This text and its support circle were also cut out of a single piece of plywood. Note: previously I had considered plywood an undesirable, less elegant material to work with, preferring solid wood. But I have discovered that, with its multiple layers and grain directions, and flexibility, it is the best material for cutting intricate shapes.