There were some curious language choices in this book, especially for a white guy. In my Anthropology studies were were taught not to use 'Oriental', though I suppose if it's what the aficionados call them then I guess it can slide, it was just kind of weird. Meanwhile, "Anglos" in place of "White People" was a choice that made no sense, my ancestors were not Anglo (or Saxon) but I am a white person, which I am pretty sure is what he meant. Also why on earth did he use "Amerindians"? Would using something like "Native American" or "Indigenous American" really be that painful?

For me the author gets a lot of credit for the disclaimer at the front of the book. This is really more of an autobiography of the beginning (and continuation?) of his Oriental Rug Period, and less about the rugs themselves. I had picked it up hoping for something more academic, and I may go off looking for some soon.

Also, the speed at which he went from buying them because he liked them to buying them because other people will like them and maybe buy them from him gave me whiplash, so if you collect something (painting, books, tea cups) which you personally love and for no other reason, you'll probably arch your eyebrows pretty high. These are definitely the adventures of a white man with Money, and it's sad but by the end I kind of felt like he deserved for the carpet market to collapse. Maybe he'll start looking at them and think more about what he actually likes, and not what he might be able to make a profit off of.