Practical importance of abstract ideas

When challenged to show practical importance of abstract ideas, Thomas Carlyle is said to have replied:

There was once a man called Rousseau who wrote a book containing nothing but ideas. The second edition was bound in the skins of those who had laughed at the first.

I found this nugget in the delightful little volume titled Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by David Miller (Oxford University Press).

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All this is a round-about way of saying, "The Bangalore Book Fair is on!" It opened last yesterday at the Palace Grounds (Near Mekhri Circle, entrance is on the road towards Windsor Manor), and runs till the 19th of November; it's open during 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 9 p.m. It's big, it's great, it's fun. I have been there, and so have some others. How about you?