Row your Boat: Bookish Finds

Monday, January 25, 2010

Bookish Finds

Posted on 12:02 AM by merrilymerrily

Another write as if no one is reading post. Which is a pretty safe bet given the erratic timing and subject matter of my posts.

I do love a good forage through an old book shop don't you? One of my all time favourites is The Nostalgia Factory in Kangaroo Valley. Fair but not over priced, not overwhelmingly large like Berkalouw's , but a huge variety from the late 19th century onwards.

Today I was lucky enough to be let into 'the back room', I think it may have had something to do with how much I was gushing about the adorable foreword in the book I had just bought. Here is some of what I found. The Golden Age by Kenneth Grahame, author of my favourite (possibly after Alice), Wind in the Willows. I love it when you are randomly wondering something, such as 'I wonder why I don't own more books by Kenneth Grahame?' and the universe puts in in your hands. THEN I remembered a play by A.A.Milne (of Winnie-the-Pooh fame) based on Mr Toad that I had seen in the shop once. I had not bought the book and had been bitterly disappointed when I had thought better of it and returned, only to find that it was gone. Well, not gone but reclassified as it were.

O found some other books of interest (inspired to branch out from science fiction and high fantasy by my stirring reading of Wind in the Willows perhaps?) Death of a Salesman, The first three Hornblower novels, and a Bill Gates business book (the later I of course take no responsibility for). There were some funny finds too - from a very dry Centenary of Moore Theological College published in 1955 (purchased and put away for a special friend's graduation from same institution) to an very old girly magazine with a headline titled 'Plump Girls Live to Love'. That one went unpurchased.

The other BIG squeal worthy discovery of the day was a McCall's complete book of dressmaking c. 1951. Apart from it's practical value as I'm pretty sure it covers just about everything, the pictures are absolutely divine. If you can get past the waspishly waisted women, and the brutal sounding chapter sections with titles such as 'and what else is wrong with your figure?' (well at least we're encouraged to be completely honest, that's always a good thing right? :s ) the styling is wonderful. I actually picked it up thinking it would be lovely to give to someone in particular, but unless some bridges miraculously get built I don't think that will be possible, which is sad. Oh well, I tend to do such things to myself from time to time. I'll enjoy the book for its pictures in any case, not that I'll ever be up to the tricky manoeuvres contained therein.