The Mystical Book

My professional book association (ABAA), Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, has been running a chat line of weird experiences concerning book buying. One man said he went to a book store while visiting in Fiji and bought back a book he had long ago sold to his local collector.

It brought to mind a couple of sales in my store.  A lady wanted to buy an early arithmetic book, a soft cover she had used in her fourth grade, to show the contrast to her daughter’s current curriculum. I looked at the women -– about 50 years old. I said, “Sorry, I don’t carry any school books, and no soft covers, none at all.” If I don’t see a market for a book, it doesn’t take up shelf space. I do buy odd-ball books that appeal to me personally, thinking someone else might share my quirky taste, and it works.

She wandered around, and returned to the desk with a floppy book, and says. “Here it is.”  I stare at the arithmetic book in her hand, astonished. What!!! I was speechless. I wrote it up, dumbfounded. She said, “Thank you,” and left.

Another time. A chatty lady walked in, an out-of-towner visiting for a wedding.  She said after kissing all those cheeks, she shoots out to her favorite stores when she travels, collectible book stores.  Drifting around, she reminded herself, “My sister had a favorite girl’s series book.  She loved the first in the series, and I try to find it.”  An obscure series, I don’t remember the name, but I did have one.  Only the second in the run.  She said, “OK, why not.”

I got a phone call from her a few days later. She said, “My sister screamed when I gave her the book.  She pushed it in my face, and said See, see, it’s MY book, here’s my name!” It went all the way home to Oregon.

You can’t get this with a Kindle.  God bless books.

---Florence

 

Comments

[Lauren]

Great connection story. My favorite, still, is when Audrey Niffenegger walked into your shop while Celeste was visiting. The Time Traveler's WIfe was one of her favorite books! That was the magic you are known, for, Mom.

[Florence]

Response from Florence:

I remember now. Celeste, away at Smith College in MA, visited
Chicago briefly and came into the store. In that tiny span of several minutes, in walks
Celeste’s favorite author (and mine), Audrey Niffenegger, of her favorite book, "The Time Traveler’s Wife." A frisson of excitement -- Celeste’s? Mine? Celeste approached the amiable Niffenegger for a brief conversation. Celeste has now just graduated from Smith College so I will give her my own signed copy of the book as a gift, and she can bring it to her new, exciting fifth-floor walk up in glamorous New York City.

Florence

[Ellen]

Oh my goodness ... a fifth floor walk up in NYC. WHAT a treat. Celeste won't need to join a gym.
All she'll need to do is forget her keys once or twice ... or a letter she meant to mail ... or or or ...
The story of "That's MY book", is priceless. I'm betting on books, now and forever.
I was just at my 50 year reunion from NYU Bellevue Nursing School in NYC. The subject of worms and farming came up. Ha ha ... yeah, you wouldn't expect that as a topic for old NYC nurses ... but there it was.
What did I remember ... but a poem by EE CUMMINGS ... about my uncle Sol who was a failure in everything, including farming and raising chickens, but they "all cried like the Missouri when down went my uncle Sol and opened up a worm farm". Ha ha ... for a funny treat ... you could look it up.
I'm home now. I am so excited. I FOUND the poem in one of my BOOKS, and mailed it to my friend. Really ... there is nothing like a treasured book.
And and and ... a thought well put. "We all cried like the Missouri". Oy ... can't beat that.
Anyway dear sweet darling Florence ... it's treasures you have been giving people every day of your life.

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