My thanks to iRex for providing my Wife and I with an excellent excuse to have lunch together.
I have it, it charges and the display is intact.
The second generation e-ink panel is much better than the first generation unit in the Sony Librie. I am very impressed, but I also think I have OS 2.4. From Tribble's postings he seems to suggest I should enjoy it while I have it before upgrading to 2.5...
And I now understand the comment about making the iLiad square. That slant on the top does make is seem a bit like a device from the set of Tim Burton's Beetle Juice... but I personally like the jaunty attitude it projects.