Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking by Dr Nathan Myhrvold

I think I need to reconsider how I apportion my portfolio. When the NYT reviewed this mammoth work 9mar2011 it carried a retail price of $625 and an online price of $467.62. But Amazon shows it out of stock and others who are willing to part with it are asking $1200. Who knew that there was this good a market in the arbitrage of objects that are said to be obsolete?

If I had the time, money and space, I'd surely be the first in line to get this book. But at 6 volumes, 2438 pages, 1522 recipes, and just under 40 lbs, I'll pass. Yes it is impressive that they spend 5 years and many millions of dollars with a staff of 46 to create this encyclopedic survey of food. But no matter the incredible photos or the cutting edge research, this will find many professional or wannabes who will buy it and ponder whether to invest in a rotary evaporator to try out a recipe. For me, I'll just hope that one of my friends will buy it and let me come over and look at the pictures. Seriously, can I come over and look at the pictures?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0982761007/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1311116763&sr=8-1&condition=new