Paul C's a mellow fellow in 2015 - Part Five

Last Thread was on the theme of libraries but in truth I am rather more well-known for buying them than borrowing them.
My favourite places in the world, with the possible exception of home are bookstores and good second hand ones especially.
This is possibly my favourite in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire - Daisy Lane Bookshop.

Kingsley Amis was more renowned as a novelist than a poet but in many ways I feel he was more accomplished in the latter form. His novel Lucky Jim has remained in print continuously since publication in 1954 - the first Campus novel - and his The Old Devils won the Booker in 1986. He is in prose something akin to a British Philip Roth. In verse he was regarded as being from The Movement, a loose collective with Larkin, Elizabeth Jennings, Thom Gunn and others. He also fathered Martin Amis.



Since the theme of this thread is bookstores I remembered he wrote one on the subject:

Something Nasty in the Bookshop

Between the Gardening and the Cookery
Comes the brief Poetry shelf;
By the Nonesuch Donne, a thin anthology
Offers itself.

Critical, and with nothing else to do,
I scan the Contents page,
Relieved to find the names are mostly new;
No one my age.

Like all strangers, they divide by sex:
Landscape Near Parma
Interests a man, so does The Double Vortex,
So does Rilke and Buddha.

“I travel, you see”, “I think” and “I can read'
These titles seem to say;
But I Remember You, Love is my Creed,
Poem for J.,

The ladies’ choice, discountenance my patter
For several seconds;
From somewhere in this (as in any) matter
A moral beckons.

Should poets bicycle-pump the human heart
Or squash it flat?
Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart;
Girls aren’t like that.

We men have got love well weighed up; our stuff
Can get by without it.
Women don’t seem to think that’s good enough;
They write about it.

And the awful way their poems lay them open
Just doesn’t strike them.
Women are really much nicer than men:
No wonder we like them.

Deciding this, we can forget those times
We stayed up half the night
Chock-full of love, crammed with bright thoughts, names, rhymes,
And couldn’t write.

Books Read in 2015 - First Quarter

January

1. A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (1982) 183 pp
2. The Photograph by Penelope Lively (2003) 236 pp
3. Best, Pele and a Half-Time Bovril by Andrew Smart (2014) 332 pp
4. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers (1951) 157 pp
5. The Volcano by Norman Dubie (2010) 79 pp
6. Wanting by Richard Flanagan (2008) 252 pp
7. The Bat by Jo Nesbo (1997) 425 pp
8. Talkative Man by R.K. Narayan (1986) 123 pp
9. Complete Poems by Basil Bunting (2003) 236 pp
10. Her by Harriet Lane (2014) 235 pp
11. How it all Began by Penelope Lively (2011) 248 pp
12. Winter King by Thomas Penn (2011) 378 pp
13. New and Selected Poems by Al Alvarez (2002) 73 pp
14. This Boy by Alan Johnson (2013) 286 pp
15. An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (1986) 206 pp
16. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson (2012) 405 pp
17. Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis by Wendy Cope (1986) 59 pp
Total Pages : 3,913

February
18. Farthing by Jo Walton (2006) 316 pp
19. Twirlymen by Amol Rajan (2011) 379 pp
20. A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (1934) 312 pp

PROGRESS WITH CHALLENGES - JANUARY

1 A.A.C Carson McCullers. - COMPLETED - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
2 a) B.A.C. Penelope Lively - COMPLETED - The Photograph}
2 b) B.A.C. Kazuo Ishiguro - COMPLETED - A Pale View of Hills
3 Anniversaries - Making it Up
4 Catching up my series reading -COMPLETED Watching the Dark
5 1001 First Edition books -COMPLETED An Artist of the Floating World
6 Nobel winners - Garlic Ballads
7 Stagnating shelves - COMPLETED Talkative Man
8 Just to be contrary - COMPLETED Her
9 Poetry - COMPLETED - The Volcano & Complete Poems & New and Selected Poems
10 Biography -COMPLETED This Boy
11 Sports - COMPLETED Best, Pele and a Half-Time Bovril
12 History - COMPLETED The Winter King
13 Scandi - COMPLETED - The Bat
14 Anzac Challenge Richard Flanagan - COMPLETED - Wanting
15 Random Read - COMPLETED How it All Began

Current Reading

The British Author Challenge in 2015 -

Here is the link to the latest thread : https://www.librarything.com/topic/182914

Here are the Selections:

2015 selections

January : Penelope Lively & Kazuo Ishiguro
February : Sarah Waters & Evelyn Waugh
March : Daphne Du Maurier & China Mieville
April : Angela Carter & W. Somerset Maugham
May : Margaret Drabble & Martin Amis
June : Beryl Bainbridge & Anthony Burgess
July : Virginia Woolf & B.S. Johnson
August : Iris Murdoch & Graham Greene
September : Andrea Levy & Salman Rushdie
October : Helen Dunmore & David Mitchell
November : Muriel Spark & William Boyd
December : Hilary Mantel & P.G. Wodehouse

Thirteenth Month : Bernice Rubens & Aldous Huxley

2015 Categories

1 Mark's American Author Challenge
2 An Exile's British Author Challenge (2 books done)
3 Anniversaries
4 Catching up my series reading
5 1001 First Edition books
6 Nobel winners
7 Stagnating shelves (read more books that are gathering a little too much dust)
8 Just to be contrary to read a book a month in the month it is bought
9 Poetry (only by reading it do I ever seem to get the urge to write any)
10 Biography
11 Sports
12 History (10, 11 & 12 because I am not reading enough non-fiction)
13 Scandi ( because I have so much of it to go at)
14 Jacqui's Anzac Challenge
15 Random Read

2014 IN REVIEW MY READING ETC.

Books Second for Once

Books Read in 2014 : 146

Gender
Books by Males : 116
Books by Females : 30

Nationality - USA 61
GBR 45
IRELAND 7
FRANCE 7
ITALY 6
AUSTRALIA 4
RUSSIA 4
NORWAY 2
KENYA 1
CZECH 1
S.AFRICA 1
NIGERIA 1
MEXICO 1
LEBANON 1
HUNGARY 1
EGYPT 1
GERMANY 1
SOMALIA 1

First Edition of 1001 Books in 2014 : 29
Completed total to date : 250/1001

Nobel Prize Winners First Read in 2014 : 6 (Pirandello, Morrison, Bunin, Hamsun, Mann & Deledda)
Nobel Prize Winners in Total : 53/111

Booker Prize Winners Read in 2014 : 1 (The Sea)
Booker Winners in Total : 19/49

Pulitzer Prize Winners Read in 2014 : 3 (The Age of Innocence, The Bridge of San Luis Rey The Yearling)
Pulitzer Fiction Winners to Date: 12/92

Books Read in 2014 by Genre:
Literary Fiction : 57
Classics (Lit Fict before 1900) : 28
Poetry : 25
Thrillers : 14
History : 5
Science Fiction/Horror/Fantasy: 5
Biography: 4
Young Adult : 4
Short Stories : 3
Philosophy/Ethics/Religion : 1

Average Book Length : 226.82 pages

Pages Read in 2014 : 33,116
Average per day overall: 90.73 pages per day

Best Reading Month in Books Completed : November (20 books)
Best Reading Month in Pages Completed : November (4,373 pages) (145.77 pages per day)
Worst Reading Month in Books Completed : June (3 books)
Worst Reading Month in Pages Complete : June (824 pages) (27.47 pages per day)

Books bought in 2014: 660

RESOLUTIONS

Well 15 resolutions for 2015; some book related and some not

1 Read 200 books in a year for the first time since my college days
2 Complete all my reading challenges this year especially for BAC, AAC and ANZAC challenge
3 Visit the threads of all my friends at least once a week
4 Read more than I buy (please don't laugh)
5 Get all my outstanding book gift orders done in January

6 Be a much better husband to. my lovely wife
7 Lose 60 pounds in weight - Starting weight after a heavy couple of day - 228 pounds; target 168 pounds
8 Walk at least 2kms every day
9 Travel - USA, NZ (North Island), Australia all hoped for. Ghana a certainty in January with work UK in August for my Mum's 70th
10 Manage my time better (again please don't laugh)
11 Be able to keep all my family and employees well fed and cared for in 2015
12 Spend more quality time with my kids and encourage their interests
13 Move home to somewhere better able to accommodate my books!
14 Help my friends wherever I can
15 Call my mum more.

Hi Paul! I'm hunkered down in New England getting ready for a good old fashioned blizzard and thank goodness I already know no work tomorrow!

There are not many bookstores around where I live but one of my favorites as a kid was Pam's Paperbacks, a new and used bookstore where I used to be able to sell books for store credit. I never seemed to have said credit for very long...

>11 bell7: Lovely to see you Mary. Is this the store?



Sad to see it seems to have closed down a few years ago.

Yes, that's it! It was right down the street from where I grew up and did indeed close its doors a few years back. Many people in town were sorry to see it go.

Happy New Thread, Paul!
Love the look of the bookshop up top, friend.

>13 bell7: The loss of a bookshop is a blow to any community and I do feel that not enough is done to patronise them. Of course I am keeping a few of the bookstores going over here singlehandedly!

>14 scaifea: Where do you shop for books generally in Wisconsin, Amber?

Happy new thread, Paul.

Happy new thread Paul. Your thread topper doesn't even look like a real place?? It looks like a set out of a movie. So very nice. My favourite place to buy books currently is online so not brick and mortar picture. :)

Happy #5, Paul! Love the Daisy Lane Bookshop! Looks like you have some good books going at the moment and it's always a joy to see Mr. Haruf in the line-up.

Love Daisy Lane! It's so beautiful. Would love to live in that town just so I could shop there.

No bookstores here anymore - unless you count the Barnes & Noble in the next town. It looks like any B & N store you've ever seen. Not distinguished or interesting in any way.

Brandon Sanderson at the brand new location for Mysterious Galaxy!

Happy new thread and LOVE the picture of Daisy Lane! There are lots of great bookstores here. Probably Powell's has to be the favorite. Here's one of their old maps.

>239 PaulCranswick: from the last thread (I wonder how the thread will handle a future post number!?)
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng I hope to read next month, but as for the rest, my top few from your list were:

4. Dirt Music by Tim Winton (Australia) 2001
9. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers (USA) 2012
11. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) 2007
13. Room by Emma Donoghue (Canada) 2010

>10 PaulCranswick: my fave book shop when I lived in Perth was New Edition. John Butler (from the John Butler Trio) used to busk outside it, before he could sing, apparently :) They had lovely sofas in there to sit and browse. In Chch it is Scorpio Books, the small version of which you saw, Paul, in the container mall when you were here. The mothership has a lot more to choose from and it is a hard thing to do to leave at all, let alone empty handed.

My favorite bookstore is one I frequented while in college:

Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky. It's a glorious place. I haven't been there in way too long.

Happy new thread, Paul!
My favorite book store used to be the Frankfurt Hugendubel which in the early 2000s had a huge section of classics and of books in foreign language. I started my collection of English books right there. Sadly, the last time I visited, both sections had been scaled down because they needed more room for the DVDs and other non-book articles. Since moving here, I am almost fully dependent on the amazons.

>16 BLBera: Thanks Beth.

>17 jolerie: It is very real, I can assure you Valerie. I am sure that John Simpson will have also visited the place. It is secreted in a little what Yorkshire people call ginnel or alleyway. It also has the most charmingly eccentric proprietor ever.

>18 msf59: Will finish it this weekend for sure Mark. Haruf's books are smooth little gems.

>19 Fourpawz2: Charlotte, the place itself is picturesque too. It was actually the setting for a BBC Sit-Com "Last of the Summer Wine" which is famous for its scenery as much as its attempts at comedy.

>20 ronincats: I would guess that that store sells all the stuff you love, Roni. I am a little concerned however as to why Brandon Sanderson seems to have appropriated my jacket!

>21 banjo123: Rhonda, Powells remains one of my life ambitions.

>22 LovingLit: Love the quip about John Butler, Megan......whoever told that man he could sing?!

New Edition in Perth

>23 foggidawn: Foggi that looks like somewhere I could easily spend a fortnight!

>24 Deern: Nathalie, I guess this would be the very place?:

I meant to post this on your last thread, Paul, and forgot. It is about a library, not a bookstore :)

IN A LIBRARY.

A precious, mouldering pleasure 't is
To meet an antique book,
In just the dress his century wore;
A privilege, I think,

His venerable hand to take,
And warming in our own,
A passage back, or two, to make
To times when he was young.

His quaint opinions to inspect,
His knowledge to unfold
On what concerns our mutual mind,
The literature of old;

What interested scholars most,
What competitions ran
When Plato was a certainty.
And Sophocles a man;

When Sappho was a living girl,
And Beatrice wore
The gown that Dante deified.
Facts, centuries before,

He traverses familiar,
As one should come to town
And tell you all your dreams were true;
He lived where dreams were sown.

His presence is enchantment,
You beg him not to go;
Old volumes shake their vellum heads
And tantalize, just so.

My favorite Emily Dickinson poem!

Ohhhh, decisions decisions.

I'd have to pick Heffers in Cambridge as my favourite adult bookshop although I don't go very often. It has the BEST cubby holes that you can lose yourself in.





My favourite bookshop as a child no longer exists, but it was the Heffers children's bookshop in Cambridge. They have now been combined so the children's one is gone, but it was the best. A higgledy piggledy bookshop over three floors with the requisite cubbys (but even better than the adult one as these were all four walls with just a gap to enter), and a scary dungeon cell in the basement! It was motion activated so when you went up to the barred window of the door and looked in, spooky lights would turn on and there was a cackle. Inside were chained up skeletons! Very spooky and very cool, and such a shame its gone.

>28 alcottacre: Nice, Stasia. Especially the last stanza which rounds it off nicely.

>29 lunacat: I went to Heffers the last time I was in the UK, Jenny. I agree it is a nice bookstore. I also like very much Blackwell's in Oxford, although it has a more shabby appearance.

>30 PaulCranswick: I'm sure there are bookshops I like more, but I can't think of them off the top of my head as I'm rather befuddled this morning. And as that's my closest good one, it will have to do.

Topping and Company of Ely is possibly my closest and best independent, but funds don't allow me to frequent it very often. My mum and I make a point of buying a book when we're in an independent, but alas, I'm not rich enough to buy all my books at full RRP.

There are a couple of good book stores near(ish) here (none actually in Platteville). This one is in Madison, WI, close to the University campus and is huge and rambling and has an excellent used and new selection:





And then there's River Lights Books, in Dubuque, which is smaller, but has an amazing children's section:

>27 PaulCranswick: That's the one, thank you for finding and posting it!! :) They have a side entrance (not visible here) which leads directly into the foreign language section which also has an own cash register. So on the dates when a new Harry Potter was out in the UK, they opened that side entrance some hours before the usual opening time. I queued there for #6.
This book shop was also the first in Frankfurt that had a coffee bar.

I didn't have a favorite bookstore when I was little, but now I have Powell's and Annie Bloom's.

It has several rooms of books!

>31 lunacat: Jenny I have never been to Ely but it looks like there may be reason enough to. Just the sort of bookshop I love.

>32 scaifea: Both of those stores look well worth a visit, Amber. The Madison store's interior suggests a good selection.

>33 Deern: A coffee bar in the bookstore is ok for Hani to have something to do without tapping her feet and giving meaningful glances to her wristwatch.

>34 Berly: From the cavernous to the cozy Kimmers. I reckon Powells bookstore will get a visit from me this year.

Add me to the list of people who love Powell's in Portland. I used to live just a few blocks from it and would walk there quite often to drink coffee and browse the shelves.

Sadly there are no bookstores near me. I have to travel about an hour and forty-five minutes to the nearest used bookstore. There is a Books A Million in Bangor and that is two hours from me.

When I was a kid, there was a Mr. Paperback in Calais which is 30 minutes from home. I loved that store and used to consistently spend my allowance there. My mom grocery shopped in Calais every other week, and if I behaved myself, I could go to Mr. Paperback and use my allowance there. It was awesome. I can still remember the smell of it!

I love that photo of Daisy Lane Bookshop in >1 PaulCranswick:, Paul! I hope I get a chance to visit it some day.

My favorite in the States probably is Elliot Bay Bookstore in Seattle:



Chicago has a pretty good one, Women and Children First:



For used books, you'd love Myopic Bookstore in Chicago:

I can't think what my absolute favourite bookshop is - although our local one in town is quite good (especially now it has added on a 2nd hand section which also sells cupcakes! and tarts from the French bakery!). But this thread has reminded me - has anyone else watched Black Books? It's a glorious British sitcom that was based in a small bookstore, just 3 seasons of 6 episodes each, back in the early 2000s.

>40 evilmoose: I loved that show! The little book of calm!

>40 evilmoose: Your bookshop sells secondhand cupcakes? Just the uneaten ones or...........actually, I don't want to know.

>42 lunacat: Heh, a second-hand cupcake shop would be an appalling invention. They just go around, collecting cupcakes from other stores and restaurants, the ones that have had one bite taken out, or the icing licked off, or are a few days old - and then you can buy them at an amazingly low price! Just $0.15 for this perfectly good cupcake, only used once before!

(Honestly, they just sell new cupcakes... well I'd always assumed they are new, although they are sold in the second-hand section of the store, I'll have to check more carefully next time)

>41 rosylibrarian: "Add a dab of lavender to your milk, leave town with an orange, and pretend you're laughing at it." - I've re-watched it so many times!

>43 evilmoose: Yup, you want to be careful, they try to sneak the secondhand cupcakes in under the radar by simply topping up the icing a little and pretending they're new. Always make sure to thoroughly sample all the cupcakes on offer, just to make sure. It's your public duty.

>45 lunacat: I accept this duty, proud but humble, as a new Flavour and Density Analyst of Sweet Baked Goods

#40 "Don't you dare use Party as a verb in this shop!"

Love it :)

>46 evilmoose: I hereby grant you full rights of cupcake tasting (which I accidentally wrote initially as cupcaking) forthwith, and decorate you with a sword and frosting as recognition of your rights.

Hmmm Picture links to my 2 favourite bookshops in Auckland (sorry still don't know how to add pics to threads .....)

http://www.booksellers.co.nz/book-news/creating-store-best-sellers-enthusiasm-an...

http://www.timeout.co.nz/pages/246-AboutTimeOut

Happy 5th Paul! Been lurking in the shadows, from whence I'm sure not to pass on my nasty flu to anyone. Really enjoyed your recent 21st C lists. Only read a handful from the BBC's though have several on the tbr and doubt my list would concur with theirs. Have yet to read quite a few on your list as well, so when my head works again (will it ever?) would be curious to see what my own would look like.

My favorite bookstore - that's easy

Powell's

Even more now that my new office location is closer. Can't wait to meet you there someday!

Paul - I'm loving all the pictures of bookstores in this thread. I shall have to remember to take photos of the Harvard Book Store and the Harvard CoOp the next time I'm there .. which is likely next weekend, and then add it to your collection. Of course, that is, if you haven't already started another new thread by next weekend. ;-)

>37 rosylibrarian: Marie - three ambitiones americanos - Powells, The Tattered Cover and Strand Bookstore.

>38 Cobscook: Heidi, my goodness! More than an hour and a half to the nearest bookstore? Definitielt not TimBOOKtu.

>39 jnwelch: Elliot Bay and Myopic are two more on the list of stores to do Joe. I like that they have a cat section in the store too!

>40 evilmoose: Megan, I hadn't heard of it and looked it up on YouTube. Watched the first episode already and had to laugh as the owner was chasing his customers out of the store at 3 pm with a broomstick. Can't see him being too popular in this group.

>41 rosylibrarian: Interesting isn't it Marie? Do you get more comfort from a small book or a large one?

>42 lunacat: Hahaha Jenny, trust you to read it like that!

>52 cameling: Oh, I love the Harvard co-op!!

>36 PaulCranswick: Several of us will be happy to show you around Powell's. Just say when!

>43 evilmoose:/ >44 evilmoose: That reminds me Megan of the skit in Seinfeld about muffin tops. Nobody really likes the bottom part so one store opens selling muffin tops.

>45 lunacat: Public duty with regard to cupcakes - serious business indeed.

>46 evilmoose: My thread is very much on the mend then Megan as it as morphed into a labour exchange.

>47 BekkaJo: Bekka, I can see that I am going to have to watch all 18 episodes quickly.

>48 lunacat: Jenny, there seem to be plenty of cupcakes to share. Hopefully I can land a role as understudy.

>49 roundballnz: Both of them look cozy places to go and hunt books, mate. Nice to see another place with an in-store cat. Wonder whether they can read.

>50 Smiler69: Sorry to see that you've been under the weather my dear - almost as sick as my laptop no doubt. I don't think my choices would exactly coincide with the Beeb, at least not if my only experience of Junot Diaz is anything to go by.

>51 SuziQoregon: That is Powells in Denver, Juli?

>52 cameling: Since it's you and I can see from FB that you have been left to dig yourself out of your snowbound abode -
Harvard Bookstore

Harvard Coop


>55 Berly: I will be counting on plenty of assistance, Kimmers, to help me carry my treasure lode.

What a great idea, dedicating your thread to bookstores! Just about my favorite place in the whole world. Whenever I visit home (Victoria, B.C.), I always like to set some time aside to visit Munro's Bookstore.



As you can probably tell the building was originally a bank.

If I am on the lookout for second-hand books, then Russell's is the place to go!

Munroe's looks AWESOME!

>59 PaulCranswick: I will start lifting weights immediately so I can be at the ready!

Love all the bookstores! Unfortunately, my local favorites have all closed so I'm left with B&N and a few so-so used bookstores. We like to look for local book shops when we travel. Here is one we found in Anchorage, Alaska. I took an image off the internet because it is so much better than the one on my profile page. Thanks for initiating this great topic, Paul.

>54 PaulCranswick: Glad you enjoyed it Paul - although yes, Bernard isn't exactly the book lovers bookstore owner. Early on in season 2 or 3 a large chain-style bookstore opens up next-door, with a focus on customer service - Bernard is thoroughly appalled. And sorry for crashing your thread earlier - I feel a bit like someone who has turned up to someone's house when they're not even home, enjoyed a small party, and then had the home owner turn up again :)

My favorite bookstore by far. They have every book you can't find at the chains or I should say chain because B&N is all that's left. Hmmm. looks like it was snowing when they took the picture which is just about perfect for Buffalo;-)

Happy new thread number ......

*scoots up to top of thread to check*

.... #5, Paul!

Favorite bookstore - I second Judy's mention of Russell Books. It doesn't look like much from the outside


but it is really one large store that has outgrown its original shop and is now cobbled together between two buildings, occupying multiple floors. They have both ground floor and second floor of the red brick/green awning building on the left in the picture above as well as the whole second floor and basement, accessible from street level, of the blue building on the right. They don't have enough shelf space so they use the window sills to stack books on!

Here is a composite shot of the second floor of the red brick building... the three steps in the far right connect it to the second floor of the blue building:



Munroe's is a beautiful store. The building was originally a bank, as you can probably guess from the facade. It is also very conveniently located near Murchies, a tea tradition in Victoria since 1894. ;-)

>40 evilmoose: - LOL! We watched an episode of Black Books and thought, "well, this is rather strange." Watched another two episodes and thought the characters were rather wacky. Watched three more episodes before we realized that we were hooked on this crazy show. Bad show. Evil show. Bad of evilmoose to remind me of that crazy, addicting show! ;-)

>65 lkernagh: Bwah ha hah *cackles evilly*

>29 lunacat: >31 lunacat: My favourite bookshop is the Topping & Co in Ely that Jenny mentioned above. We do go to Heffers in Cambridge quite often as well, but for some reason I don't have the same love for it as Jenny does. I'd also put in an honourable mention for Stanfords Travel bookshop in Covent Garden.

Of course, the bookshop in which I can be found most frequently in my local Waterstones, which is within walking distance, and surprisingly doesn't mind dogs in the store, so I can usefully combine the two tasks of dog walking and book shopping!

>67 SandDune: I think my love of Heffers is most likely because of childhood memories - we'd go to the children's bookshop across the street where I'd be allowed something, then I'd have to entertain myself in the adult one while my Mum browsed. The two layers of cubbies on the main and mezzanine floor were perfect for whatever quiet, imaginative game I had going on in my head at the time.

>60 DeltaQueen50: Victoria looks posh, Judy. Banks and bookstores have plenty in common any way. I leave most of my money in either of them.

>61 Berly: What with my aversion to carrying heavy things and your dodgy knee I think we'll need to drum a bit of a crowd up don't you think?

>62 Donna828: Very little doubt what that store is selling, Donna. I am pleased that bookstores as a theme has hit the spot - we would be a sorry bunch if we loved books but didn't care for the palaces that house them.

>63 evilmoose: Au contraire Megan I love you crashing my thread. My place is always an open forum for anyone to say whatever they like about whatever they like so long as we don't start slinging mud (unpaid of course) at one another in so doing or raise the normal taboos imputing on race, gender, sexuality, body size or Fifty Shades of Grey. You are a wonderful addition to our little company, Megan.xx

>64 brenzi: Bonnie, you can tell that it is a proper and discerning haven for the intelligent book lover because magazines are referred to a "periodicals".

>65 lkernagh: Lovely to see you, Lori. So Russell's is a sort of biblio-Tardis - bigger on the inside than it is on the outside?
Add Murchies into the mix and I can see that Lori and Judy (and Deb and Nancy) are therefore overdue a visit in that lovely part of the world.

>66 evilmoose: *Beams happily and prepares to watch episode two*

>67 SandDune: Dogs are useless in book shops, Rhian, because they always seem to forget their reading spectacles.

>68 lunacat: My clearest and earliest memory of buying books was from weekly visits into Wakefield with my dear old gran. I would have been aged about 7 or so and we would go to Woolworths for a pick and mix and then I would buy the latest Target release of Doctor Who. I would always have it nearly finished by the time I got home on the bus. We would always go to a nearby pub for a lunch together and must have struck an unlikely pair - an oversized old lady (size 50 DD bra size would you believe) and a pint sized bookworm tucking into their steak and kidney pies whilst each reading their latest purchase.

Happy New Thread, Paul. I love the bookshop topper.

I guess I could start visiting by making a return visit to you. I am trying to work out a very short list of books by which I could recognise someone who, maybe, thinks like I do. You have got at least five of my initial provisionals, but then, with a library of 10,000+ that might not be difficult.

I'm enjoying all the book shops.

Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis which is a Science Fiction/Fantasy new and used bookstore in Minneapolis. It's in the front half of a hole in the wall shop filled to the brim with books. The back half is Uncle Edgar's (Mystery.) I haven't been there in ages since it is not wheelchair accessible. (Too many books - often on the floor!)

Outside:


Inside:


It gets a little crowded:

Hi Paul! I hope this finds you well and reading voraciously.

Lovely to look at all the books here. Within a 45 minutes drive, I have 2 used bookstores, 3 thrift stores that have books, and a real, honest-to-goodness bookstore. However, I usually find the books I want to read through recommendations here on LT, so usually get books from Amazon or swap them on Bookmooch. I don't seem to like browsing as much as I used to; I'm much more a targeted book buyer these days.

>69 PaulCranswick: A crowd. Very good idea. Now I can stop doing arm curls. Phew! ; )

>23 foggidawn: I've been there!

>74 Morphidae: Oh, Carrie (cbl_tn) and I went to Uncle Edgar's when we were in Minneapolis a few years ago.

This thread has caused me to remember a children's bookstore that I used to love to visit when I lived in the Cincinnati area. The Blue Marble was located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.



I've been trying hard to decide what my favorite overall bookstore is. It's hard to decide so I'll go with my favorite used bookstore that is close - McKay in Knoxville.

I'm loving all the bookstore photos. I'm glad Joe posted the pic of Myopic Bookstore in Chicago because it has a cat!

My favorites have already been represented here:

Elliott Bay Books in Seattle


and Powell's in Portland


and Munro's Books in Victoria, BC


Hi Paul!

>40 evilmoose: Oh yes, Black Books. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There are so many bookstores to choose from but I will stick with the one I frequent most due to my generous friend, Scott.

Leigh's Favorites Books in downtown Sunnyvale.

>72 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Always lovely to see you, graphics or not.

>73 abbottthomas: at, nice to see you dipping your little toe in that tepid bathwater that is my thread. A year or two ago my thread tended to put some people off because of the pace it zipped along. Last year at the same stage my number of posts was more than double it is this year. The slightly more leisurely pace gives me more time to read all posts a bit more carefully and appreciate all of them the more. Welcome into the group, British born males need to add to their number and look after their own.

>74 Morphidae: My goodness, Morphy, there are a lot of books on the floor - I can see how that would be a problem to reconnoitre. Looks a bit like my reading room.

>75 karenmarie: I am doing my best Karen. Unfortunately I picked up a mystery stomach bug yesterday coming back from my project site in Ipoh. I had had Nasi Kandar Biriyani with chicken korma and fish head curry and some sort of lime/mint yogourt drink and one of them got its revenge dramatically last night and this morning. I was up at 1, 3, 5 & 7 purging and unable to concentrate on any of the books I have on the go.
To make things worse I had to have a Yellow Fever innoculation this morning and organise my visa for my trip to Accra on Sunday. Thankfully knowing the High Commissioner meant that I was able to get my staff to take all the documents to the High Commission and I can collect it tomorrow.

>76 Berly: Kimmers, I was looking today at flying into Seattle having a leisurely stroll down to Portland and then San Francisco before taking a train ride to Chicago via Denver. Not sure how Hani will react to two days on a train though. I am coming round to the view that the US is going to have to be a series of trips instead of a tour.

>77 thornton37814: Lori those two stores contrast the sublime with the utilitarian - the second is a veritable warehouse of books.

>78 EBT1002: I can see that Ellen and Seattle may well be pencilled in for a fall visit. xx

>79 AuntieClio: Getting a little addicted to that bloody thing. Watched another episode during my lunch break. So much so that my poor empty and disturbed stomach got no sustenance at all.

>80 AuntieClio: Looks a nice one Stephanie - good old Leigh and .........Scott.

>77 thornton37814: Blue Marble Books is still there! I haven't been to their store, but when I was in grad school they ran the conference bookstore for a children's literature conference I attended.

Minneapolis also has an amazing children's bookstore called Wild Rumpus Books.

It is filled with animals (chickens, cats, tarantulas, chinchillas and more) vines growing over shelves, a canoe on the ceiling and of course books. It really is an enchanting place. It is great to have young children and have an excuse to visit. Bonus points - a small remnant of the old Minneapolis street car system is just a few blocks away and you can take a ride!




http://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/

>82 PaulCranswick: Sorry you caught such a nasty bug/ food poisoning, I hope it's gone by now and you already feel better and can at least take and keep some broth.

>85 Oberon: Wow - that bookshop alone is worth a trip to Minneapolis!

>82 PaulCranswick: I'm so sorry you're ill! I hope you're feeling better quickly and that your preparations for the trip are going smoothly. Safe travels.

>85 Oberon: What an amazing bookstore! I love the canoe on the ceiling. How can any child go into that bookstore and not have his/her imagination fired up?

Ugh! I'm so sorry to hear you picked up a stomach bug, Paul. I hope it's just a 24hour one and that you managed to get everything out of your system. If you're not at 100%, will you be allowed to receive your Yellow Fever vaccination?

Feel better soon!

Hope you wake up feeling better and are no longer intimately attached to your bathroom!

Get well soon.

Hope it passes quickly for you Paul. Being sick enough to not be able to concentrate on a book is a double whammy! Feel better soon. :)

>84 foggidawn: Foggi, Blue Marble Books looks well worth a visit.

>85 Oberon: Erik, that is the first bookstore put up that really makes the books seem a little incidental. Kids of all ages must definitely love it.

>86 Deern: Nathalie, thank you my dear. Thankfully stomach has righted itself already. I did have some thick homemade soup (parsnip and an indefinable something) which was tasty as well as effective.

>87 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks Princess. Must say that I am a little anxious about the trip considering its proximity to the ebola zone. There have been no deaths reported in Ghana but it is a little close to the area for comfort. I am travelling alone from here and meeting our two British partners in Dubai from whence we will travel together.

>88 cameling: Despite the tummy bug which I fessed up about I passed to get the jab. Blood pressure was tested prior also and the reading was something of an improvement which was pleasing especially considering my fear of needles would have spiked the reading already.

>89 Berly: Thanks Kimmers!

>90 lunacat: Hahaha I am now able to give the small room some little respite, Jenny.

>91 Ameise1: Thank you Barbara. Now back to my normal self.

>92 jolerie: Should wrap up a couple more books this morning, Valerie.

>93 PaulCranswick: It is a beautiful place but I can't say the books are incidental. It is one of those places where you can feel like the imaginary world of the books is bursting out on to the walls.

Of course, for the little kids, following the free range chicken around the store is more interesting.

>96 Oberon: Hahaha talk of free range chickens and I am hungry already just after breakfast! I didn't mean incidental in a disparaging way simply that as you say the distractions of the place would enthrall the kids almost as much as the printed matter.

Sad to see that Colleen McCullough passed away a short while ago. The Thorn Birds was a phenomenon when published and a succour to randy priests everywhere.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31036362

>82 PaulCranswick: They are very different. McKays is indeed a warehouse.

>84 foggidawn: It's a delightful bookstore.

>99 thornton37814: If all bookstores were the same, Lori, then shopping would be much less fun don't you think?

Aww..... that's so sad. I remember enjoying The Thorn Birds, both the book and the TV series.

Glad you're feeling better, Paul and hooray for the lowered blood pressure. I recently had my blood pressure taken when I was at the doctor and was pleased that it had risen ...... to 100/68. Usually I'm in the 90s/low 60s range although at my last annual physical, it was so low that the nurse took it a second time, thinking there was an error with her instrument ... that time, I remember clocking in a weird 88/62. That's the lowest I've ever measured for blood pressure...and I wasn't even ill at the time. All my other readings were normal (at least normal for me)

I visited Munro's and the tea shop nearby 3 years ago when our cruise stopped at Victoria--that was the one where I got a miserable cold leaving Seattle for Vancouver, and couldn't enjoy Vancouver or the cruise back to San Diego at all, but I did manage the book store and the tea shop. And I visited Elliott Bay this last September when we were back in Seattle. I am thinking of making a visit to Portland at some point simply to experience Powell's.

My favorite bookstore is The Dusty Bookshelf in Manhattan, Kansas. It is a used bookstore and comes complete with three cats and broken down chairs! It has been in business for over twenty years.

Number two is a huge used bookstore in Birmingham, AL call ed 2nd & Charles. It doesn't have nearly the character of the Dusty Bookshelf but it has thousands if books.

>101 cameling: It's funny Caro, I hadn't a clue what the blood pressure figures were all about until I had need to find out. Now I am not a little obsessed with improving the figures. At their worst 152/110 has now reduced to a far more respectable 130/90 - still on the high side but heading in the right direction.

>102 ronincats: Roni, we must be a rare old bunch - planning holidays based on the locations of book stores!

>103 benitastrnad: Actually Benita, that ideal mixture is the same formula used by Lori in choosing two favourites. (see >77 thornton37814:)

16. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson



Year of Publication : 2012
Category Challenge January - Series
TIOLI January- #7

Inspector Banks is not exactly a fine wine so I am not sure whether it is the breather I have had from the series rather than the intrinsic quality of the story that meant I enjoyed this very much.

It is not a whodunnit in the traditional sense as you pretty much can guess the likely outcomes from fairly early in the piece but this is well plotted nonetheless.

The themes here are the mis-treatment of migrant workers, drugs, people smuggling, baltic mafioso, police corruption and they meld quite seamlessly into an effective whole. Not the place to start in the series but an excellent addition to it.

8/10

Pages in this : 405
Pages in 2015 : 3,854

My favourite bookstore in Maastricht, the Netherlands is Libris Dominicanen Maastricht.

I've shown this pictures before. It's in an old church that once was a church of the monks of the Dominican order.



The entrance: It's very small but there is a world of books behind that door.



The ground floor



Sideways



An upstairs floor



Coffeelovers

Loving all the bookstore photos. And >77 thornton37814: YAY! For one I have actually visited several times when my daughter lived in Knoxville. I've had some wonderful favorites over the years, most of them gone now. These marvels persist, however:

Otto's in Williamsport, PA (my college town) They have been in business since 1841, so all hope for independent bookstores is not yet lost!



Four Seasons Books in Shepherdstown, WV. A recent find, with a wonderful selection of new and used books, as well as a nifty reading room:


And Too Many Books, in Roanoke, VA, which has a lot of rare, even antiquarian books, plus a basement full of used treasures at reasonable prices:

>106 connie53: That is sooooo cool. I can see how it would be a favourite! I wish the Church would allow that kind of thing to happen to our old churches when they're decommissioned (that's not the right word, but you know what I mean!).

Loving all the bookstore pictures!

>106 connie53: You know Connie, if religious buildings were converted into bookstores religion would quickly regain some of its lost popularity! Seriously impressive.

>107 laytonwoman3rd: Lovely sample of bookstores, Linda - but I'm sorry Virginia - there can never be Too Many Books. xx

>108 lunacat: Not only the churches, Jenny, the Mosques and the Temples too - let them all read instead. We might then see a little of the toleration that they all are supposed to preach but which most organised religions seem to have forgotten.

>109 banjo123: Lovely as always to see you Rhonda.

I love the bookstore photos! Lori has already posted my favorite (McKay Used Books & CDs). I could spend hours there. It's better for browsing than for looking for a specific book.

>112 cbl_tn: I have seen on this thread already most of the stores that I had heard whisper of from the States already with the exceptions of the Strand and The Tattered Cover. Surprised that no-one is advocating those.

I'll step up for the Strand - it was my favorite bookstore when I lived in NYC. Actually, The Mysterious Bookshop shares the honors.

The Strand is said to have 18 miles of books!





Mysterious was in Midtown in my time in the City. Now it's in TriBeCa.

Thanks Princess. There seems to be little mystery about Mysterious but it does look like a store I'd like to visit.

>110 PaulCranswick: that Church has even been a parking space for bike's! So a bookstore is not that bad.

Hi Paul, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Hi Paul! Wow. Food poisoning, trips to almost-ebola zones, needles and high blood pressure. You've had way too much going on, I think. Stay safe on your trip and I hope you find time to see interesting things and read.

On a thread that is concentrating on bookshops and with my, ahem, barely suppressed penchant for book buying causing me pain in the gut and with the month coming to a close - I thought a little bit of Cranswickian indulgence was overdue. I will definitely read one more book before the month is out and I did promise that I would not buy more than I read. I had added 5 this year so it left me 12.

6. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey (1975) 538 pp
7. The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (1999) 78 pp
8. Tigerman by Nick Harkaway (2013) 372 pp
9. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (2012) 888 pp
10. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North (2014) 405 pp
11. All Our Names by Dinaw Mengestu (2014) 256 pp
12. The Barbarians by Peter Pinney (1988) 240 pp
13. The Glass Cannon by Peter Pinney (1990) 228 pp
14. The Devils' Garden : Solomon Islands War Diary, 1945 by Peter Pinney (1992) 227 pp
Collected as Signaller Johnston's Secret War by Peter Pinney
15. The End of the Story by Lydia Davis (1995) 231 pp
16. As If By Magic by Angus Wilson (1973) 426 pp
17. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (2005) 201 pp

One of the best independent bookshops left anywhere is Von's in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is lots of books - new and used. It has a basement full of used books. The link to their web site is:

vonsshops.com

Powell's is my favorite but you already have a bunch of photos of it. My second favorite is The Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA but I can't find a photo of it. In truth though, I can't say I've met many bookstores I didn't love.

>120 benitastrnad: I lived right around the corner from Von's during my last year at Purdue in the mid-80s. I didn't realize what a treasure it was until I had moved on...

Hope you have a safe and easy flight to Ghana, and that you can avoid any and all illnesses or mishaps x

>110 PaulCranswick: I was actually going to say, this proves it IS possible to have "Too Many Books"...it's a delightful bookstore, and I highly recommend a visit to anyone who's in the vicinity of Roanoke.

I have a few favorite books stores. But my favorite is Baggins in Rochester, England! It is a second hand book shop and I could spend hours in there. The owners and staff are lovely and and helpful.

Will edit and add photos when I get some!

Happy weekend Paul! Ditto on Morphy's fave >74 Morphidae:.

>26 PaulCranswick: aw, you got me a picture of my old fave bookshop! I met Joan London in there. Author of Gilgamesh and The Good Parents, the first of which I have read and liked.

Have a good weekend away Paul!

Happy February Paul! I am finally dropping by. I love the bookstore theme.

Here's my go-to bookstore, here in Washington DC:

My favorite book stores are the Review book shop (it also has a lovely cafe), Foyles and the St. Christopher charity shop in East Dulwich on Lordship Lane as they always have got a great selection in literature.

What lovely pix of bookstores people have dropped on your thread! I've only been to Munro's in Victoria, as it about a 2 hour trip by ferry from Vancouver. I have not been there for years, sadly. I do hope you are feeling better from your bout with the stomach trouble and your trip to Ghana goes well. Ghana is not a country I'd be keen to visit, but perhaps you have a better knowledge of it and know where to stay etc.

I am very late to your latest thread, Paul. I loved looking through all of the favorite book stores of everyone. Sadly, our little corner has only a BAM that is located in the Mall. But when we vacationed in Florida, we found this really great independent bookstore called Sundog Books - two stories and the top story had a coffee bar and music shop that sold old vinyl records - very cool! Here's what it looked like:

I will give some love to The Tattered Cover in Denver, CO. Obviously, its not anywhere need where I live, but when I visit my best friend we like to go browse and buy there.

Love your latest book haul Paul! I am interested in Tigerman since I read Angelmaker recently. An intriguing author for sure.

#132
I read Angelmaker last year and thought it was a big waste of time - at first. Then it picked up steam. I think it needed a good editor and it would have been a good book. As it was I thought it was average.

>119 PaulCranswick: I was trying to update my purchases and sign off just before departing for Ghana but my computer would not play at all. I actually bought 17 books last month but I'll have to update when I get back to Malaysia on Friday.

Well after 23 hours of travelling I made it to West Africa. I have taken a few snaps on the handphone but I can't post them up until one of my geeks (Yasmyne) helps me a bit. Have confiscated her laptop so I can do some work and keep up a bit. Problem was that the first day saw the internet server down for the whole day.

The Ghanaian people are warm and welcoming but the stench of corruption is certainly in my nostrils as we close on this project to build lower cost mass housing for the populace. We are supposed to sign a contract for a staggering 100.000 houses and have the financing in place so I hope politics don't get in the way.

We are also looking at ways to resolve a chronic power shortage as Ghana does not want to open itself up to foreign giants. Let's see.

Tomorrow we are supposed to be meeting the Foreign Minister of Ghana who apparently is a lady of considerable charisma.

>116 connie53: Hahaha - well Connie sometimes in my prime the nearest I got to heaven was on a bike in the mountains.

>117 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara that looks cozy. Problem here yesterday was power outages and with 33 degree heat a log fire was not needed!

>118 karenmarie: Almost Ebola zone arrival can be announced Karen! There were health checks of a sort at the airport in fairness but my innoculation card gained despite my fear of needles was not even bothered with.

>120 benitastrnad: Vons looks good Benita.

>121 RebaRelishesReading: You are right Reba. I can get a kick from a shelf of books at the back of a hardware store!

>122 lauralkeet: Laura, I used to be the same with restaurants only much later realising what great food I had been passing up for the longest time.

>123 lunacat: Well in truth the journey was fairly uneventful, Jenny, but I realise that, after the recent spate of problems viz air travel and Malaysia, I am a far more nervous passenger than before. Got picked up and taken to the hotel without a hitch but the replacement SIM I bought for the phone doesn't work. When I arrived at the hotel it seems that the booking had been for one adult and two children (I am very much alone) and they had gone to the trouble of making up a campbed for my kids in the room! When Peter and Tim arrived yesterday (My UK partners who are both in their early thirties) the receptionist delightedly exclaimed "Sir, your children have arrived!"

Power cuts and no internet have been a problem so far but it is only for four days.

>124 laytonwoman3rd: I have a friend with family in Virginia, Linda, so one never knows.........

>125 BBGirl55: That is great news Bryony as I wasn't aware that Bilbo and Frodo were alive and well and reincarnated as booksellers! xx

>126 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel!

>127 LovingLit: My pleasure, Megan. I have met one or two well known people in bookshops too (outside of booksignings) and even directed a well known politician to a particular book by V.S. Naipaul that he couldn't find.

>128 AnneDC: Hi Anne - it looks like it would entice me easily enough too.

>129 drachenbraut23: I am a lover of Foyles of course Bianca. Hopefully we can spend an hour there in the summer if you are in UK then?

>130 vancouverdeb: I did set off here with some little trepidation Deb in all honesty. I was travelling alone and arriving a day in advance of my UK partners. I didn't know our local representative as he has previously been engaged by my other Malaysian based British partners and the hotel was chosen by Tim and Peter (the two arriving later). Turned out fine and despite power cuts I remain cheerful and hopeful of doing both some business as well as bringing some good to the place......as it appears to need help.

>131 Crazymamie: Now that does look fabulous Mamie. Would appear to be off the set of a movie depicting Dodge City!

>132 Cobscook: Heidi, over my years on LT, Powells, the Strand and The Tattered Cover have become almost a Trinity of must do bookstores for me.

>132 Cobscook: & >133 benitastrnad: He does look like an interesting author, I must say.

That sounds like a really fascinating project! Wishing you a successful stay in Ghana with no more annoying power cuts, and keep us updated on your progress, please.

I just got back from a light supper at a famous Chicago Hot Dog place - Portillo's. I then stopped for desert, an Italian Gelato, at Eataly. This is a new eating/grocery place featuring all things Italian. It is affiliated with celebrity chefs Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich. I loved it and could have spent hours there. I should have brought my wine packing equipment so that I could take some wine back with me. There was a huge selection of Italian wines. I did buy some cheese. One from Indiana and one from Italy. I will share these with my wine club at our meeting next week. I didn't intend this to be an eating holiday but I did manage to get some quality indigenous food (Chicago style Deep Dish Pizza) and (Chicago Hot Dogs) in the four days.

I also lucked out and got a great room at the Hyatt in the middle of a snow storm that dumped between 16 and 19 inches of snow. Even that much snow couldn't stop the intrepid librarians when they are at a conference. The whole day it snowed (Sunday, February 1, 2015) the conference buses kept running and the librarians kept going to their meetings and gathering in free books. It was great. And no corruption.

I was amused with your story of your hotel room. I stayed with another librarian for the first three nights here in Chicago. She had picked the hotel because it was cheap. (It was) She was leaving two days before me, so I made reservations for the last two nights at the fancy Hyatt Regency Chicago because it was a conference hotel with bus service to the convention center. That turned out to a fortuitous decision as with the snow the only way possible to get around was by bus. Due to the snow she couldn't leave as scheduled so ended up staying with me for one extra night. (not as my child.) Because we checked in early in the morning we were not sure that we would be allowed to get into a room until later in the afternoon but we got lucky. The only room that they had ready for checkin at 11:00 a.m. was a room with a view. It is on the 19th floor and looks out over the Chicago River, Navy Pier, and out onto Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, during the 24 hours of snow, we couldn't see the River, the Pier, or the Lake, but this morning when we got up the view was great. Tonight I can even see the full moon.

I have had books, snow, and great food in the last four days. Not more could be asked for out of life.

And the book haul? It was super Cranswickian. I have four boxes of books to mail back to Alabama and will get a taxi to the nearest post office early tomorrow morning and mail them. (I already mailed four boxes back.) I will also be mailing a package to Mark and to Joe. After all, books are for everybody.

Paul, if anyone can bring good to Ghana, I am sure it will be you and your partners.

>141 Deern: Hahaha Nathalie there has just been a power cut!

>142 benitastrnad: & >143 benitastrnad: I would swap you of course Benita. Chicago was higher on my list of places to visit than Accra for sure! Four boxes of books? Ahhhh those were the days. Food sounds fabulous too, I must say.

>144 AuntieClio: Stephanie - This deal or these deals to be more precise have taken up a lot of my time recently and, being away from hearth and home, I hope it will be worth it.

Have made a decent start to February reading with my long trip from KL and my day between power cuts in Accra.

I have finished Farthing by Jo Walton - a sort of Dorothy L Sayers meets Alan Furst meets Harry Turtledove and then a book on the art of spin bowling Twirlymen by Amol Rajan. For the uninitiated spin bowling is a form of delivering the ball in cricket where the bowler imparts spin on the ball and allows it to move in the air and off the pitch. Normally bowling slower than those speedsters that use pace and seam to get their victims out.

Started A Handful of Dust for B.A.C. and The Elixir of Immortality which is humoungously large and lead to me reading only 22 pages in the 7 hours to Dubai as its weight was too much for my tired eyes and limbs.

>137 PaulCranswick: When Peter and Tim arrived yesterday (My UK partners who are both in their early thirties) the receptionist delightedly exclaimed "Sir, your children have arrived!"
LOL, way to make you feel older than you are huh!?

>143 benitastrnad: woah! That is a book haul indeed. *impressed*

Hej Paul, nice pictures of interesting places to go to

>137 PaulCranswick: Hehehe, love the story of your 'children', and I hope they really appreciated their camp bed style living ;)

Fingers crossed that the power stays on long enough for you to get some work done and you can make inroads into the project. It sounds like it's sorely needed. Hopefully you won't be too hindered by the politics, backroom games and those out to make a quick buck in backhanders. Doesn't sound a very easy working environment, but if anyone can manage, you can!

Looking forward to seeing the photos - it must be an amazing place, even though blighted by poverty. I'd love to go further into Africa than just the Mediterranean coast.

I'm happy to hear that you arrived safely, Paul!

I've been at the same conference as @benitastrnad -- too bad we didn't meet! And I also have a Cranswickian haul to report, once I get home and sort out what I'm keeping and what I'm sharing. It's been lovely despite the 19" of snow.

Hi Paul, firstly happy, productive and safe travels to Ghana.
Secondly, a few years ago I asked LTer's if they knew of a good bookstore in Toronto where I would soon be spending a weekend.
Chatterbox aka Suz suggested The Worlds Biggest Bookstore on Edward Street
It did not disappoint! We (hubsters, Will and I) had a blast!
Sadly, as I Googled an image for this amazing bookstore, I discovered that they closed their doors in March, 2014. The bldg has been demolished and as if Toronto doesn't need one more restaurant, plan is that the property will be developed to hold ........what else.....more restaurants.

So glad to see that the children arrived safely! LOL! That totally cracked me up, Paul.

>152 Carmenere: Could be worse....could be a parking lot, or a bank, or WalMart...

There is a picture here on LT: Book Passage

ETA: referring to >120 benitastrnad: & >122 lauralkeet:

This has been such a great thread with all the bookstore photos - nice to see a few of my other favorites show up.

Hope things go well for your project.

Glad to hear you've arrived safely in Ghana, Paul. I bet you manage to find a bookstore while you're there too .. can't wait to see a picture of it (hint, hint ... take photos!)

I hope you are doing okay on your travels, Paul! How long are you in West Africa?

155---Ooh--I was just at Book Passage--at least I was at their branch store in SF in the Ferry Building. I had just visited City Lights Bookstore the night before (Saturday night), and when we went to the Ferry Building to eat lunch Sunday, there it was--totally unexpected, another bookstore. I wanted to abandon our afternoon plans (a show at the SF Museum of Craft), but was outvoted by husband and daughter. I got to spend 15 minutes or so there, though.

It's great to hear that you arrived safely, Paul, and it's no surprise that you immediately come up with funny stories! I hope your business is going well and that you are enjoying yourself.

Safe travels to you Paul!
How long are you away from home for this trip?

Safe travels Paul. So much unrest in the world. I'll be glad to see you home with your family.

breezing through...

Safe travels!

>134 PaulCranswick: Paul would have thought Solar/Wind power would have been jumped on assuming there are $$ to spend.

Love the hotel story ..... lets assume you look the wise one :)

Safely arrived back in Kuala Lumpur. Finished my first February B.A.C. on the plane which was A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. I am bushwhacked and off to sleep and will catch up on the morrow with all you lovely people who kept my thread at least ticking along whilst I was swanning off to deepest Africa.

Glad you're home safe and well Paul, and I hope your trip was successful.

You were missed, Paul! Welcome home.

Glad you're home. Get some rest.

Welcome home, Paul. So glad you had a safe trip. Can't wait for those photos! ;-)

Glad to hear you are safely home, Paul. I'm sure you have lots of jet lag to sleep off.

So happy to hear that you're back home again, Paul!

>147 LovingLit: Exactly Megan. Peter and Tim are fairly well sculpted young guys and it is quite obvious that it takes quite a lot of personality to get yourself noticed with them around!

>148 paulstalder: Hey Paul! I wouldn't mind catching a picture of our book-box place that regularly results in you being the biggest acquirer (if not buyer!) of books in the group.

>149 lunacat: Jenny, the power was less of an issue than the almost constantly unavailable wi-fi. The ACKNAC Hotel had advertised themselves as providing free wi-fi but I guess it should have been three wi-fi - the three being the number of hours per day it was probably available and those hours were at times when saner people would have been sleeping.
We have signed three (that number again) outline deals with our partners in Ghana (basically the Armed Forces Holdings Company / Army) to provide wind turbine power generation, to place a cattle farm on the shores of Lake Volta and to build a large number of apartment units for military personnel and lower paid government servants. The cattle farm in particular is interesting because it will provide work, infrastructure and power resources to an area that has little of those things presently. We met the tribal chief of the area who is "donating" the land for the project and he was pretty excited.

Hopefully I can get some of the photos off my handphone and post them.

>150 scaifea: Thanks Amber. It was a tremendous experience to be honest.......especially now I am safely back home! I must admit I had a meeting at the Accra Holiday Inn just before leaving for the airport and the last thing I saw before leaving for the airport was graphic film from the Taiwan crash. Not the best preparation for 15 hours of flying time alone with my family members all relying on my goodself for their upkeep!

>151 foggidawn: My goodness, Foggy - 19 inches of snow! I would have swapped for some of that amid the Accra power cuts.

>152 Carmenere: That does seem to be the way of the world doesn't it where bookstores make way for means of more instant gratification. Lynda, I do hope that some of the great independent bookshops find enough characters like the members of this group to keep them all afloat.

>153 Crazymamie: I slightly got the last laugh Mamie as I went home and left the two of them there until Saturday.

>154 laytonwoman3rd: Almost anything is better than a WalMart, Linda. I remember my family very cleverly buying a traditional polish delicatessen in Huddersfield in the 1980s blithely unaware that three hypermarkets were ready to be launched upon an unsuspecting trade. Never was much of a businessman my old Dad. Of course he didn't help things by embezzling money from the company to set up a labour supply company with his mistress and leaving my brother to be declared as a bankrupt as the fall guy of the company. Happy families!

>155 MDGentleReader: What better sort of a passage can you think of but a Book Passage, MD. It is always lovely to see you pop up over here, my dear. The 75ers is enriched as much by its free spirits as it is by those with busy threads.

>173 PaulCranswick: Your projects in Ghana sound really exciting - congratulations on moving ahead so far in what I imagine is a tricky environment for business!

>156 SuziQoregon: So nice of you to say so Juli, but I doubt that I will take it to my normal 260 renewal level as. with so many photos loading time can be a tad irritating. I noticed that (either I am getting older or softer, I'm not sure) but I missed my little tribe more than normal on this business trip. Maybe it was because it was so difficult getting hold of them from there.

>157 cameling: Would you believe it, Caro, but I didn't see a book store. I did see a book-stall as I was passing by in the car but I was too slow to snap it from my mobile phone.

>158 msf59: Hi Mark! I was there for a mere three nights and four fairly long full days. Pretty tiring schedule in truth and I was thrown straight back into the fray this morning. Arrived in KL at 11 p.m. an hour and a half back home and then at my desk by 8.00 am this morning. A touch of fire-fighting on a couple of projects and a few choice words for the administration department (well actually my long-suffered P.A. for not checking the hotel better and for not collecting two payments we had been notified were available to be picked up.

>159 arubabookwoman: Had it been I Deborah I would have arranged a rendezvous later in the day. Great bookshop not to be bested by a Craft Museum that's for sure.

>160 Dejah_Thoris: Princess, I do seem to get myself into situations that lend themselves to the odd anecdote or two and some of them odder than others. I am an ardent chatter with locals and got myself into a lengthy discussion with two of the young waitresses in the hotel (no, nothing like that!, let me finish) and was telling them about my kids and intentions regarding setting up in Accra. Peter the elder of the two brothers with me is married also but Tim is single. Informing Mabel and Emefa (the two young ladies) of our respective status', the latter named young lady straightforwardly put herself forward as a willing bride for young Tim and asked (Big Uncle to negotiate on her behalf. Tim did escape! The girls were earning $70 per month working 16 hour shifts 13 days a fortnight!

>161 jolerie: Well I am thankfully back in KL, Valerie. Will have time to catch up on the threads tomorrow and sort out outstanding reviews, etc.

>162 vancouverdeb: The world is rapidly becoming scarier on an almost daily basis isn't it, Deb. So much hatred, so little attempt to compromise and tolerate. I did have a very interesting few hours with our local Chairman (appointed by me on Tuesday!) an-ex three star General and previous ambassador for Ghana to Egypt and Lebanon. A very religious man (Roman Catholic) we had a wonderful discussion on the importance of different faiths recognising their similarities rather than focusing on their differences. I came from the meeting to see news of the immolation of the poor young Jordanian pilot.

>163 Berly: The fresh air feels good, Kimmers!

>164 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. xx

>165 roundballnz: Given that the people are extremely indignant about the power shortages the government in Ghana need to address it quickly, especially given empty promises already made. We are looking at solar power in the community with some of our housing developments as there is a storage and power loss problem with that technology (though I am far from an expert), whilst wind power is a little capital intensive but then virtually maintenance and fuel free. 50 Mw of power we are looking at initially with eventually four times that expected.

>167 lunacat:, >168 Crazymamie:, >169 SuziQoregon:, >170 cameling: , >171 ronincats:, 172

Thanks Jenny, Mamie, Juli, Caro, Roni and Amber. It is certainly good to be back. I have missed you all and now have to play catch up!

>176 Dejah_Thoris: It is exciting, Princess, but a little daunting too. Some of the projects cannot fail because the local communities are so in need of them. Altogether we have discussed 11 projects with our partners DIHOC and most of them are more altruistic than commercial really.

January Review

Books Read in January : 17

Gender
Books by Males : 12
Books by Females : 5

Nationality - GBR 12
USA 2
Norway 1
India 1
Australia 1

Genre - Literary Fiction - 7
Thrillers - 3
Non-Fiction - 3
Poetry - 4

Challenges :
B.A.C. - 4 books read (2 Lively, 2 Ishiguro)
A.A.C. - 1 book read (McCullers)
Anzac - 1 book read (Flanagan)
TIOLI - 17 books (4 shared reads)

First Edition of 1001 Books : 2 (Ishiguro 2)
Completed total to date : 252/1001

Nobel Prize Winners First Read : 0
Nobel Prize Winners in Total : 53/111

Booker Prize Winners Read : 0
Booker Winners in Total : 19/49

Pulitzer Prize Winners Read : 0
Pulitzer Fiction Winners to Date: 12/92

Pages read : 3,913

Average Pages per day : 126.23 pages per day
Average Book Length : 230.18 pages

Book of the Month :

Winter King by Thomas Penn

Books bought : 17

Stopping in to wish you a weekend full of fabulous, Paul! Hoping you catch up on your sleep and can indulge in some reading.

>181 PaulCranswick: Thanks dear Mamie. I feel quite fresh in truth. Have got off to a reasonable reading start in February so let's see if I can keep up the pace.

Reviews.......

17. Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis by Wendy Cope



Date of Publication : 1986

This was Wendy Cope's debut anthology and established her as a most popular writer of verse. I hesitate to use the word poet as quite a bit of this is pretty callow and juvenile with rhymes strained and mechanical - more One Direction than Bob Dylan certainly.

That said she can show herself to be a very technical competent stylist and particularly adept at that curious construct the villanelle which appears in a handful of these poems. Sometimes on the point and witty but just as often formulaic, her throwback style can be forgiven for her willingness indeed to revisit established forms.

Easy reading even with the occasional cringe-worthy couplet.

6/10

Pages in this : 59

Pages in 2015 : 3,913

Just checking in and catching up - hope you get that relaxing weekend you deserve :)

>185 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka. I have to get up at six to take Kyran to a inter-schools mock United Nations forum debate. He is representing both the school and Guatemala on the subject of the legalisation of types of drugs.

Wow - go Kyran! Six on a weekend is rather heinous but at least it's for a good cause. If it helps I need to construct and ice a large blue dinosaur cake for my son's birthday tomorrow...

Wow, Paul! What a lot of adventuring you've been up to lately! Glad to see that you and the family are doing well.

My favorite bookstore was Harry W Schwartz, a local chain with 4 locations. The one closest to me was in Brookfield, WI, but I also frequented the other locations too. Sadly, I can't find a picture of it anywhere online and will have to delve into my old photos and see if I can find one. It also has the distinction of being both my grandparents and parents favorite bookstore as well. Here's a not-terribly-inspiring photo of Boswell Book Company. It's in the same location as the East side Schwartz with the same shelves/signs/mascot and it's owned by a former employee, Daniel Goldin (on the left of Ann Patchett in the second photo). One of LT's very own, Nancy (alphaorder) used to work for them and there were several events that she set up that we were both at but obviously didn't know each other back then. Small world!

Gosh, I'd been lurking a lot, and meant to wish you safe and happy travels in Ghana, but now I'll wish you a happy homecoming instead, Paul. xx

>187 BekkaJo: Hahaha Bekka, from a boy with a dinosaur to another trying to tackle mammoth problems (sorry)!

>188 LauraBrook: Fascinating, Laura. It may be an illusion but Ann Patchett looks to have one heck of a grip on the poor chaps shoulder.

>189 Smiler69: Ilana - your hesitation caught me when I don't know whether I'm coming or going but I realise I've been and gone and come back again - well sort of. xx

Didn't get a chance to take a snap of the book stand in Ghana, Paul? No problem ... when are you heading back again?

Six AM? Gulp. Hope the work you're doing re: Ghana will go a tiny way to helping the poverty in Africa. Such huge problems, it seems it will never be cured, but every little helps, right?

OMG, Paul--you read 17 books in January, on top of everything else you do? I am in awe.

>194 banjo123: He's a terminal overachiever. There is no hope for him. We must simply resign ourselves to accepting it.

I think secretly Paul has been engineered so that he does not require any sleep. How else can we explain how much he can accomplish in the same amount of time as the rest of us who require sleep of some form? Somehow doesn't add up. ;)

>179 PaulCranswick: If the climate fits that sweet spot of not too much, not too little wind, then wind power would be a no brainer, bit like hydro, once you set it up, there is minimal maintenance compared to other options .... same can be said for computer & operating systems ( but that is another story for another day)

Ow - More One Direction than Dillon. I'll pass. Got to congratulate you on one of your New Years goals - you read as many books as you bought last month! That took restraint.

>192 cameling: I could be back there within a months, Caro. This will be subject to the acceptance of our initial implementation plans and the Government of Ghana being ready to sit down to terms on the Power Purchasing Agreements for the Wind Farm. The Cattle ranch (I feel a bit like Big John Cannon from the High Chapparel albeit a shorter, rotund version) will move quickly I feel and my chaps on the ground are paying a site visit next week.

>193 lunacat: Kyran was despatched safely to school on time but I was a bit bleary eyed to be honest (as was he). I do hope we are able to play a small part in alleviating poverty and lack of infrastructure development in West Africa. We have plans to spread the model through the British Commonwealth African countries, so fingers crossed.

>194 banjo123: Rhonda, and there was I hugely disappointed with my efforts! I am going for 200 books this year for the first time since college.

>195 lunacat: Not sure that I can quite agree with that Jenny as flattering a picture it presents. I am a machine that is creaking visibly this week and hopefully the weekend will be a calm-ish one. Hani is entertaining Saad's grandmother who is visiting this week so I won't get too much rest to be sure but I will certainly get a full tummy.
I will have a tough Tuesday as my client for the Ipoh project has requested formally that I replace my Project Manager and I have to decide whether to reassign him or part company. I don't enjoy firing staff and could do with hiring Donald Trump to do the honours.

>196 jolerie: Valerie, it is true that I don't get too much sleep although I will often treat myself to an extended lie-in every now and then. Hani gets all the sleep we both need!

>197 roundballnz: One problem in Ghana, Alex, is that they have enjoyed the benefits of cheap fuel generated for them from a hydro-electric dam the British helped to construct in the 1950s. Alternative sources are expensive comparatively but Ghana needs to bite the bullet as the power shortfall is becoming chronic.

>198 cammykitty: Katie, to see the comment back makes it look a little flippant doesn't it? I prefer my poetry to rhyme generally but it should still carry an adult message. I did struggle to keep to my read more than I buy scheme and it came out a draw. I need to keep reading to ensure that I am able to stay in touch.

I can only repeat what I said earlier: such fascinating projects! What will the wind power plants look like? Similar to those super high windmills/ wind parks we have in Europe now? I am quite alone in my liking them from the beginning. My German heart is always happy when I hear of alternative energy. The Italians hate those turbines, and in a country with such frequent (mostly light) earthquakes they are a bit of a risk. We have lots of solar parks now in the South which are ugly as well but probably safer.

>173 PaulCranswick: here is one of the places I get free books:

http://www.librarything.com/venue/94938/Offener-B%C3%BCcherschrank-St-Johann-Qua...

>202 Deern: Yes, Nathalie, that is what they look like. We have to find a way to make them a little cheaper but are looking at longer payment options on the project and taking less profit from the whole thing.

>203 paulstalder: Cute, Paul, cute.

Happy Weekend, Paul! Thanks to you, I finally pulled the Night Watch off shelf and I am really liking it. Which Waters have you read?

>205 msf59: I have previously read Fingersmith and The Little Stranger both of which I enjoyed. I will be reading Affinity this month.

Glad you made it safely back from Ghana! I've read a couple of enjoyable books set there. Kwai Quartey writes a mystery series set in Ghana. I suppose they would be classified as police procedurals. The first book in the series is Wife of the Gods. King Peggy is a biography/memoir of an American resident who was chosen king of a village in Ghana after the death of the previous king, who was her uncle.

>207 cbl_tn: I haven't seen those books Carrie, but I will definitely go and look out for them.

Very sad to see that one of my favourite authors Andre Brink passed away yesterday.

His Rumours of Rain was a particular favourite of mine.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31197217

Lovely bookstores! I wonder if I can find the one I found in a wee close in Cardiff, Wales many moons ago. It was magical, dusty ans even had a tittering shopkeeper.

Hi Paul - Have a lovely weekend. You've been around the world on this thread!

Here's a photo of Zoë and me in front of my favorite bookstore (Fliss was the photographer):

Lookin' good!

I just told Darryl that I have Philida checked out from the library so guess I will need to read it fast as I will probably be unable to renew it. Deceased authors are usually in demand.

>210 mckait: Not sure Kath as it is ages since I was in Cardiff but could it be Halls?



>211 BLBera: The travelling caught up with me just now Beth. I took Kyran again at 6.00 a.m. for his UN Schools debate thing and came back and cuddled up to SWMBO. Just opened my eyes at 2.30 p.m. - almost unheard of in our household.

>212 kidzdoc: Another one for my list, Darryl as I haven't been there yet either. It must be a good bookshop as Zoe looks pleased despite the bear hug!

>213 drneutron: Hi Jim!

>214 benitastrnad: I am up for a shared read of Philida, Benita, it is one of only a few of his novels that I have not yet read.

>212 kidzdoc: Lovely photo, Darryl.

Hi Paul, I hope you have a lovely Sunday.

>217 Ameise1: Great minds and all that, Barbara, I have just been over to your thread.

Happy Sunday, Paul! I hope your weekend is going well.

Hi Paul. Fascinating stuff about your travels in Ghana. I'm glad you're back safe and sound in the center of your family.

I have The Elixir of Immortality on my shelves and it is daunting indeed. I hope to get to it eventually, when the right mood strikes.

You continue to amaze with the volume of reading. 17 books in January, my my.

I wish you a good week.

>219 scaifea: The very same to you too my dear. I will go and look for your thread in a mo. Somehow I managed to miss it this morning/afternoon,

>220 karenmarie: I can see myself meandering through The Elixir of Immortality steadily this month, Karen. I have a number of books on the go at the moment and am struggling to concentrate on one over another.

I got busted by SWMBO today as I enjoyed a glass of english ale after a quick stop by Kinokuniya. Still controlled myself pretty much though:

18. Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough (2000) 890 pp
A near 900 page alternative ANZAC read this month from the recently departed Ms. McCullough.
19. Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World by Donald Antrim (1993) 164 pp
Debut novel from the master of surreal comedy
20. The Martian by Andy Weir (2013) 369 pp
Hard to believe that this was originally self-published. Almost everyone has read this already.
21. It Never Rains by Roger McGough (2014) 86 pp
Short verse from the Mersey Beat poet.

Told you she busted me:

That's pretty good going for you Paul! No busting required as far as I can see. :)

>224 lunacat: It is just making me itchy is the truth, Jenny. I can feel a real pig out coming on.

I think the stockist at Kino must keep an inventory of just the books you buy, to ensure they stock up with new titles every other month to keep you coming back.

Just remind her of all the worse addictions you could have. :)

>226 cameling: Caro, the girls did look a little relieved to see me back tonight.

>227 mahsdad: Her addictions actually are much worse than mine, Jeff - she collects handbags.

>222 PaulCranswick: - LOL! I guess we all knew it would happen at some point and being busted with only 4 books is pretty darn good. ;-)

Oh Paul, I am glad to see you are helping the local economy by spending your hard earned dollars at the book store. I am trying to do my part for the Canadian economy, too. I am starting my BAC read later today with The Night Watch. I loved Fingersmith so I have been looking forward to this one.

Have a good week.

#216
I would like to read Philida but it will have to wait until March as I am swamped with reading right now. I have four chapters of Althusser On the Reproduction of Capitalism to read for my upcoming class discussion at the end of the month and you know how hard to read those French philosophers are. Along with trying to read a bit of Night Watch everyday and my reading time is gone.

Yay! A smallish Paul Haul! What fun! :-)

Paul, next time buy SWMBO a handbag and then use it carry home your books--you both win!!

>1 PaulCranswick: embarrassingly late to this thread (and earlier convinced that Holmfirth was Haworth, and that I had been to this bookshop. No, I have not).

I think the bookshops of Edinburgh are hard to beat, particularly as they are conveniently close to one another.
Especially keen on the basement of Edinburgh Books (formerly Westport books) which has an amazing history section.

For customer service (and their own book fest) WordPower are recommended. They also have a lovely dog (not shown).

>234 charl08: Ooh, that looks like my Tuppence sitting outside Edinburgh Books!

Happy Monday, Paul!

Great pic, Paul. Life without acquiring books would be sad, indeed, for some of us.

Best wishes for a great week.

>229 lkernagh: Lori - there are rumours of a follow-up Big Bad Wolf Sale hitting KL this month. Scary because in the last three episodes I have totalled more than 400 additions.

>230 DeltaQueen50: Judy, hahahaha - we 75ers are such a helpful lot aren't we?

>231 benitastrnad: I am happy to wait for you and read it "together", Benita, if you like.

>232 Smiler69: Never mind the art work, dear lady, you'll be joining me in the poetry club at that rate!

>233 Berly: Kimmers, no encouragement for her if you don't mind! She was pleased to point out to me that one Chanel purse that I bought for her a number of years ago at $1,200 (I had no idea, but she never forgets these things) can now only be bought for $2,800. It isn't even big enough to take all my loose change but she tells me that cash is nowadays so passe. She failed to smile though when I said "OK, I'll stop giving you any then!"

>234 charl08: Charlotte, I do remember Edinburgh as a place of great bookshops. We were there about four years ago and I recall buying, ahem, one or two for my collection.

>235 scaifea: Of course Amber, as you of course realised the dog is waiting for the sheet music not the latest JK Rowling release.

>236 karenmarie: Couldn't make it, for sure, Karen.