Magical Book Shops, Interesting Libraries and Books

Thanks Seabreeze. Have been to quite a few of these bookshops [5]. Blackwells in Oxford centre is the best [IMO] and I was in there only last week [bought the paperback 'The Incident Of The Dog In The Night -time' by Mark Haddon.They have a nice though small coffee lounge upstairs next to the history dept, where you can have coffee and cake and start reading your new book.It's full of students [in Blackwells] buying the books for their courses.I think there are at least 4 floors, and the floors are huge.It's directly opposite the Sheldonian theatre [where the degrees are handed out in some ceremony.]Right next door to it is a very old pub called The White Horse, where we sometimes have lunch. The Bookshop with all the hats is a bit odd though, I find it pretentious, and all the ruddy hats get in the way of looking at the books!Also the staff keep a look-out and I don't enjoy the feeling of being watched in case I make off with a hat!
 

....found the one rather 'daunting'!:)

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Speaking of old and books and all, I just snagged an out of print copy of the history of my great grandfather's journey. I had been looking all over to find it for the past four or so years and I couldn't believe it when I did another search on Tuesday and found that a seller had it listed on ebay. He hadn't sold it by the sell date, I wrote him he relisted it and I just bought it today. I'm so thrilled. I can't wait to get my hands on the actual book. It's part voice and written, so I believe I'll get to hear him speaking as well. I haven't heard his voice since I was about 8 y/o. I'm stoked. :D
 
Wow, talk about character - those places have it in spades.

Never having been to the UK to enjoy such wonderful places I made do with the Strand on lower Broadway in NYC. Tons of new and used books, several large floors. It was my home away from home when I lived in the city.
 
AprilT said:
Speaking of old and books and all, I just snagged an out of print copy of the history of my great grandfather's journey. I had been looking all over to find it for the past four or so years and I couldn't believe it when I did another search on Tuesday and found that a seller had it listed on ebay. He hadn't sold it by the sell date, I wrote him he relisted it and I just bought it today. I'm so thrilled. I can't wait to get my hands on the actual book. It's part voice and written, so I believe I'll get to hear him speaking as well. I haven't heard his voice since I was about 8 y/o. I'm stoked. :D
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I'd be excited too April, very cool! :cool:
 
AprilT said:
Speaking of old and books and all, I just snagged an out of print copy of the history of my great grandfather's journey. I had been looking all over to find it for the past four or so years and I couldn't believe it when I did another search on Tuesday and found that a seller had it listed on ebay. He hadn't sold it by the sell date, I wrote him he relisted it and I just bought it today. I'm so thrilled. I can't wait to get my hands on the actual book. It's part voice and written, so I believe I'll get to hear him speaking as well. I haven't heard his voice since I was about 8 y/o. I'm stoked. :D
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I agree! That is VERY Cool!:)
 
SeaBreeze said:
I'd be excited too April, very cool! :cool:
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Meanderer said:
I agree! That is VERY Cool!:)
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oakapple said:
That's very exciting for you April.:)
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:thankyou: Did some more digging and I found a video news interview with him speaking live with Charles Kuralt. I watched it yesterday it was really nice seeing his sweet old face. I believe he was walking tall in it at around 92 in the interview and didn't pass away till age 103 sure wish I could ask about his diet, but I'm sure it was more his active lifestyle that kept him in such good shape. I have so much love for that old man, partly because inspite of all the ails of my life, he passed down great lessons and strengths in ways that would take pages to explain. :D
 
I go the Bookshop in Wigtown, every time I visit Mum and Dad, and I always buy something; as does Mum!
they have a fantastic collection of 2nd hand books, as well as new ones.
i love it!

I have also found a book on the net written by my great-grandfather....it is exciting, even if I don't understand a lot!
i have a special bookshelf for books written by people I know, or signed by the author, or school prizes from Mum and Dad; I love that shelf, even if other people find it tedious!
 
Vivjen said:
I go the Bookshop in Wigtown, every time I visit Mum and Dad, and I always buy something; as does Mum!
they have a fantastic collection of 2nd hand books, as well as new ones.
i love it!

I have also found a book on the net written by my great-grandfather....it is exciting, even if I don't understand a lot!
i have a special bookshelf for books written by people I know, or signed by the author, or school prizes from Mum and Dad; I love that shelf, even if other people find it tedious!
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I think that's great that your family has a rich history, nothing tedious about it in my opinion, I respect other peoples stories about their families if they share them. My great-grandfather's story evidently wasn't tedious to many, he didn't write his story, he couldn't have done so if he wanted to considering the time he was born in and wasn't afforded the opportunity, others wrote about him and his town erected a statue of him, so to them, the reigning president of his last years and several news outlets he, his life's story was not in the least bit tedious. I'm imagine others reading this might disagree, but, I will honor his memory every chance I have an opportunity, don't care if anyone finds it tedious, they can just ignore it.
 
AprilT said:
:thankyou: Did some more digging and I found a video news interview with him speaking live with Charles Kuralt. I watched it yesterday it was really nice seeing his sweet old face. I believe he was walking tall in it at around 92 in the interview and didn't pass away till age 103 sure wish I could ask about his diet, but I'm sure it was more his active lifestyle that kept him in such good shape. I have so much love for that old man, partly because inspite of all the ails of my life, he passed down great lessons and strengths in ways that would take pages to explain. :D
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Was this interview with Charles Kuralt part of his "On The Road" Series?
 
Yes and separate, CBS owns the rights to parts of Grands life story, they even did a TV movie staring Sidney Poitier, using the title of ggf's story about a the last brickmaker in America.

Here's the most recent story I found which had been speak of Kuralt talking of my ggf. The show my ggf talking somewhere in the story.

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/11568965/

I had posted an album with some picks of the statute the town dedicated to him. I did attend the dedication about a decade ago. I had written to their local newspaper to find out when the dedication was going to take place, my question was posted in the local paper as well, to my embarrassment. I started getting calls about, which grandchild wrote in that question. It's a long sad story, my siblings and I were the long lost children of the family. Believe me, I may be talking about this here, but, I wouldn't ever be this talkative in person. When I went to the ceremony, I practically tried to hide to avoid everyone wanting to where Genny's girl was and to talk about writing in..

I know I said I don't care, I'm really not an attention whore, but, when you are robbed of a proper childhood and you get an opportunity to reconnect with someone so special as I did with other uncles and aunts over the years, I get a little runny on the mouth over the net anyway. I do apologize if this comes across as thumping my chest. It isn't. Otherwise, I'd talk about my other grandfather that became a lawyer with the help of the Quakers that help save his life. ;)

I probably would shut up if I had someone near to talk about it with. Sigh. Have to admit, my daughter would probably yawn. I think I will send the links to the other kids in the family though. I know he won't be forgotten by other members, I just wish my daughter and her's could appreciate those that paved the way for them.
 
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Thanks Viv, I just feel my days are numbered and I want to gather what info I can and hope she will want to hold on to it, but, I'll probably be better off passing it on to one of my nephews. Sigh.
 
Just heard on the news that an American tourist in London managed to get himself locked into a London bookshop for a few hours.He was in Waterstones, and although staff had checked [and not seen him] they put out the lights and locked up and went home.There are worse places to be for a few hours.
 
Bestselling author, James Patterson donates big to independent book stores...http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/...tterson-makes-holiday-donation-to-indies.html


Eighty-one booksellers got a special gift on Monday, just in time for the holidays. Bestselling author James Patterson sent out $473,000 in grants for the third, and final, round of his 2014 million-dollar campaign to invest in indies.In February, Patterson began distributing grants to independent bookstores with children’s sections. The program has now delivered grants to 178 stores altogether, with the donation totaling $1,008,300.

A number of stores--including Kramerbooks & Afterwords in Washington, D.C., and Sherman’s Books in Bar Harbor, Maine--requested the money to fix up their physical space.
Younger stores, too, sought financial assistance for operations. Five-year-old Greenlight Books in Brooklyn, N.Y., will use the money to update its computer system.

Rona Sue London at the Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore wanted funding for a new children’s program coordinated with area schools that will allow local students to meet authors and get free books. “I’m a teacher by training,” says London, “so I know that the need is. I know a lot of kids don’t have a chance to be in a bookstore, or to own a book.”

Perhaps the most poignant request came from 57th Street Books in Chicago; it wanted to create a fund to reimburse the children’s manager, and other staffers, who have spent their own money buying books for poor children who visit the store. The grant will also enable the store to create an ongoing fund for children in need.

“Here’s to a joyful holiday season for booksellers everywhere,” said Patterson in a prepared statement. “Here’s to more parents and grandparents coming to their senses and giving their kids books—yes, books—for Christmas and other holidays. Here’s to local governments waking up to the fact that bookstores and libraries are essential to our way of life.”

Patterson, who recently launched the #SaveOurBooks campaign, to encourage the nation’s leaders to raise awareness about reading, plans to continue to support indie bookstores in 2015. He will also champion a new initiative centered on getting kids reading, and strengthening school libraries.
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This has indeed been a wonderful thread to follow and I'm delighted so many have been moved to contribute.

SeaBreeze's' link to many quaint and beautiful English and Scottish book shops is indeed a treasure. The shops themselves are treasures filled with shelf after shelf of treasures.

Regrettably these rich repositories of our literary tradition are very much an endangered specie. In the thirty years that I've been in the antiquarian book trade I've seen certainly more than 75% of the brick and mortar stores in the states go out of business including many flagship stores comparable to those shown in SeaBreezes' link. Denver use to be a great bookstore town with half a dozen really good stores on South Broadway now mostly gone. The best shop in town was The Mad Dog and the Pilgrim. Gone.

So thanks again SeaBreeze for a remembrance of something that is passing.
 

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