Many five year olds first step through the door of their kindergarten classroom clutching a favorite toy or squeezing a wedge of their blanket. But not Michael. He strode through the open door carrying a book in his arms for he'd taught himself to read by the age of four. And never did he stop. When he turned ten, I bought Mike a complete set of the World Book Encyclopedia. The day they arrived I found him sitting at the kitchen table with Volume One. It was his intent to read through all 22 volumes until I convinced him that was neither necessary nor their purpose. This was the time before the internet, before when needing to know was but finger tips away. Reading was a key to discovery and learning, and learning was Mike's life long passion, particularly learning about history.