I have a problem.

No, it’s not that I can’t choose between Jepp, Who Defied the Stars and Starry River of the Sky. I have a bigger problem than that.

I am supposed to choose which of these two books is better. But I have no idea what “better” means.

I’m not crying wolf here. I’m not just trying to be provocative.

“Better” is a word that can mean just about anything. Does Jepp taste better than Starry River? (No. They taste equally disgusting.) Does Starry River serve as a projectile better? (Yes. It’s nearly square dimensions make it perfect for launching at spouses who interrupt you while you’re trying to figure out what the word “better” means.)

Okay—I’m not trying to be obtuse. I know that saying something is a “better book” does not, usually, mean it’s better for launching across a room.

Nor does it mean that it weighs more, or costs less, or has a smaller carbon footprint.

I wish it did, though. You see, you can measure weight, and price, and carbon footprints. We can all stand around a scale and agree that The Oxford English Dictionary weighs more than Curious George. The reason we can do this is because we have an agreed definition of what “weighs more” means.

We …

» Continue Reading: Round 1, Match 5: Jepp, Who Defied the Stars vs Starry River of the Sky