// special case for staves
    const int type = (book.base_type == OBJ_STAVES) ? book.sub_type + 40
                                                    : book.sub_type;

    const int type = book.book_number();

    const int type = stype + 40;
    if (stype < STAFF_SMITING || stype >= STAFF_AIR)

    const int type = item.book_number();
    if (stype < STAFF_SMITING || stype >= STAFF_AIR || type == -1)

    const int type = istaff.sub_type + 40;

    const int type = istaff.book_number();

#include "spl-book.h"

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// item_def functions.
bool item_def::has_spells() const
{
    return ((base_type == OBJ_BOOKS && item_type_known(*this)
            && sub_type != BOOK_DESTRUCTION
            && sub_type != BOOK_MANUAL)
            || count_staff_spells(*this, true) > 1);
}
int item_def::book_number() const
{
    return (base_type == OBJ_BOOKS?   sub_type      :
            base_type == OBJ_STAVES?  sub_type + 40 :
            -1);
}

public:

    bool has_spells() const;
    int  book_number() const;

//---------------------------------------------------------------
//
// describe_item
//
// Describes all items in the game.
//
//---------------------------------------------------------------
void describe_item( const item_def &item )

static void show_item_description(const item_def &item)

    if ( (item.base_type == OBJ_BOOKS && item_type_known(item)
            && item.sub_type != BOOK_DESTRUCTION
            && item.sub_type != BOOK_MANUAL)
         ||
         count_staff_spells(item, true) > 1 )

    if (item.has_spells())

}
static bool describe_spells(const item_def &item)
{
    int c = getch();
    if (c < 'a' || c > 'h')     //jmf: was 'g', but 8=h
    {
        mesclr( true );
        return (false);
    }
    const int spell_index = letter_to_index(c);
    spell_type nthing =
        which_spell_in_book(item.book_number(), spell_index);
    if (nthing == SPELL_NO_SPELL)
        return (false);
    describe_spell( nthing );
    return (true);
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------
//
// describe_item
//
// Describes all items in the game.
//
//---------------------------------------------------------------
void describe_item( const item_def &item )
{
    for (;;)
    {
        show_item_description(item);
        if (item.has_spells())
        {
            gotoxy(1, wherey());
            textcolor(LIGHTGREY);
            cprintf("Select a spell to read its description.");
            if (!describe_spells(item))
                return;
            continue;
        }
        break;
    }
    

}                               // end describe_item()

}