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Post by distantshores on Jun 11, 2009 14:10:55 GMT
I try and support the local used bookstores as much as possible. The few we have are very accommodating and charge little to nothing to search for and get. Their departure from the streets would pain me greatly,one of my great pleasures in life is cruising used book stores wherever I go. Amazon is a great resource I agree for the must have now. We used to have six used book stores in the area. They were usually run by couples in their 50's or 60's and they were great to explore. There was always a treasure hidden somewhere. But as these people got older and the costs of doing business grew ever higher, they began to close. Only one out of six remains today. An elderly man runs it, his wife died suddenly last November. He wants to sell it as he is in his late 60's. But the lease payment for the building is high, it's an old building, and the utilities are a killer. It was his wife's dream more than his. I do get down there roughly twice a month. [I'm trying to teach my grandsons the joy of reading.] It depends on my time. I still work and I have two grandsons playing ball 3 to 4 nights a week in the Summer. I do believe in doing business locally if I can. And trust me, I love to browse as much as anyone.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2009 14:25:32 GMT
Six stores down to one,that is distressing. I don't know where you're located but I've detected a trend in used book stores in certain US cities that are more pedestrian friendly such as NY, San Francisco, New Orleans.Also more touristy. The used book stores here are doing ok especially with the downturned economy. But they also have gotten more creative in marketing themselves with special events,readings, music,even food. Two that I frequent often allow me generous trade ins as I will buy alot of paperback fiction,read and swap out. Much like a library which is great. I also know that the owners of these stores have to be ever resourceful and it involves alot of physical work schlepping all those tomes around.
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Post by distantshores on Jun 14, 2009 1:12:51 GMT
casimira, I live in the upper Midwest which is very rural. I live in one of the bigger towns of the area which has approx 37,000 people. Being mostly an agricultural area, we have been struggling to keep smaller towns and cities alive. We have many small towns that are slowly becoming ghost towns. On top of struggling economic times, we also had our 500 year flood last year. It was devastating to at least 3 states, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri, and affected well over a million people. It flooded places I would have never believed could be flooded. As an example, Google Cedar Rapids, Iowa and take a look at some of the flood photos. We have seen so many business's close due to the reasons stated above. The Univerity of Iowa had their library flooded. It contained many works of art and invaluable literary works. I think it was flooded to the top of the second floor. The water came so fast and so powerful in amounts no one could believe. It even washed a RR bridge with a train on it into the river. The UofI ais trying to dry some of the collection out using various methods, but the cost is staggering to say the least. It's a whole different world out here compared to NYC, or San Fran, or New Orleans. Hopefully this info is helpful in understanding what it's like in the sticks as I call it! But the fresh air and the wide open spaces are hard to beat! No traffic jams out here. We get excited when we see another car! That's stretching it a bit, but I'm trying to impress. Thanks for understanding. I do go to an awesome used book store in Uptown, a small community near Minneapolis, Mn which has an awesome variety of used books. I could spend days there. And they are very creative in marketing!Unfortunately it's 2 hours away for me. I'd go broke if it were any closer!!!
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Post by spindrift on Jun 14, 2009 19:32:37 GMT
The Japanese Chronicles are on their way to me now!
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Post by distantshores on Jun 15, 2009 13:18:53 GMT
Casi... Yesterday was such a nice day, so I asked a friend if he would like to go for a drive and enjoy the day. I took him to the used book store that I told about a few replys above. [My daughter lives 3 blocks away, so she joined us as well.] All the while thinking how I wished you could have joined us to see my little treasure hidden away in a small burrough of the city. I just know you would have enjoyed it. It would have been fun to say "Look at this!" and "what did you find?", and so on. I found a good book on the excavations of Pompeii as well as a English to Italian phrase book. I also purchesed a Travel Pack that is put out by Foders.com. It has several books and maps along with 6 CD's in regards to learning Italian. I don't know if they are any good or not, but for $19.95 I felt I couldn't go too far wrong. Then I bought a book with pictures in it with photos of everyday objects in it with the Italian word for it below and then how to pronounce it as well. It's probably for 3rd graders, but oh well! We were there almost two hours before going up the street to a sidewalk cafe to have a bite to eat. It was a fun day! But I'll always think of you when ever I go there from now on! I now call it Casi's Store!
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Post by traveler63 on Jun 15, 2009 13:50:00 GMT
Hi DS: I am so sorry to hear about the flooding, I have watched some of the stories on the news and on line. Libraries are so valuable and it is hard to hear when they have been assaulted. We here in Tucson are having our own issues and problems with both the county libraries and our University of Arizona Historical Museum. Our state budget is in so bad of a condition , that our state government is cutting everything!!!!! They are threatening to close pretty much all of the state museums and libraries. Everything that has anything to do with everyday people is being cut, while they are continuing to fund their pet projects. Our city just increased our water and sewer taxes bills 10%(we were saving too much water and their revenue went down), our electricity tax 3% and so it goes. The libraries are being scaled back, just when everyone needs them. Independent bookstores I think are a thing of the past. Luckily we have one called Bookmans, where you can trade books, CD's, etc, so at least there is some outlet.
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Post by distantshores on Jun 15, 2009 14:26:59 GMT
I feel for you t63. That is such a shame and the burden is always put on the common folks. What burns my butt is when these politicians go after their own greedy interests and they spend spend spend until all the moneys gone and usually then some! You can't spend more than you make! And you certainly can't borrow your way out of debt!!! The people need to get vocal again and get these idiots out of office before there is nothing left. I think many of the states are in your boat t63!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2009 14:28:37 GMT
I hope you're wrong about independent booksellers T63,even though I know they are struggling along. Today,I am taking about 4 boxes of used books (mostly classic Buddhist texts,Dogen,Suzuki et al.) to one of the dealers here. I don't hope to get much $$ for them. At best she will give me some credit toward future purchases. Tomorrow evening one of my current fav authors is giving a reading/signing of his newest novel in PB. These are the kinds of things that help these folks stay afloat. Re: Public Libraries,there is a thread about in this section. You are certainly not alone. DS,what a sweet thought,I did not immediately acknowledge your post about the flooding because we here know floods too well and oft times I choose not to go into the whole saga of the losses we suffered here(still reminded daily I'm afraid ).I have friends in Cedar Rapids...
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Post by traveler63 on Jun 18, 2009 1:43:50 GMT
I have found some marvelous travel books. They are published by The Little Bookroom. They are small, 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, so they can go in handbags,messenger bags, etc. We have purchased two of them. We found them in our local library and were so charmed by them that we had to have them. Hope you like them www.littlebookroom.com
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Post by distantshores on Jun 18, 2009 3:36:41 GMT
That is a fascinating and colorful website t63! I see two books on there that I'm going to order for myself. Thanks for the recommandation!
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Post by traveler63 on Jun 18, 2009 18:37:28 GMT
Hi DS: The two we purchased are Patisseries and and Brasseries of Paris. I am also interested in the ones for Italy. I signed up for their email so I can see which ones they are adding.
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Post by spindrift on Jun 20, 2009 14:37:10 GMT
Casi - The Japanese Chronicles arrived this morning and I'm already half-way through...delightful.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 15:23:17 GMT
Oh,great spindrift,love his writing style. Your being more familiar with the subject matter should certainly excite you more. Glad you're enjoying!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 20, 2009 15:44:20 GMT
I am a huge fan of Paul Theroux and have noted that in all of his travel books he reads much older books about whatever region he's visiting -- books written a hundred years or more earlier in some cases. Except for reading parts of Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Yucatán many years ago, I've never read really old travel books. I see that those of you here whose taste and interests I admire are also readers of these antique travel books. Tell me more!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 16:28:41 GMT
You had mentioned Lafcadio Hearn in a post on here. I would like to see more discussion of him and his work. An incredibly fascinating character.
The other writer whom I fell in love with that Jazz turned us onto early in this thread, Dame Freya Stark,my goodness,what a life. Her writings and her life merit so much more attention.
I always peruse the bibliography for writers sources.
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Post by spindrift on Jun 20, 2009 16:59:43 GMT
Interestingly, one of my closest friends is a god-son of Freya Stark. She had many god-sons, mostly Etonians, and she would take them off to the middle east from time to time.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 20, 2009 17:29:52 GMT
Casimira ~~ of course! I will definitely start checking the bibliographies from books I like.
Spindrift ~~ how interesting. Was your friend a recipient of a middle east trip gift? And is he a traveler to this very day?
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Post by spindrift on Jun 21, 2009 21:19:27 GMT
No, he isn't a traveller at all. He told me that every so often Freya would take all her god-sons (as a group) for a trip to the middle east. Next time I see him I'll ask him more details. I have no idea how many god-sons she had....quite a few I think.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2009 10:55:32 GMT
Have just begun Amazon Dream by Roberta Allen. Written in 1993 ,it recounts Ms. Allen's solo trip into the Peruvian Amazon and her encounters with the ancient Shipibo people renowned for their textiles and pottery.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2009 14:58:18 GMT
Whatever you do, don't believe the sort of things that are published in guidebooks.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2009 17:44:10 GMT
Fodor's Paris guidebook?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 5, 2009 18:00:51 GMT
Is that our Kerouac? Oooo ~~ published, with the great advice he so generously shares with us here!
Kudos, K!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2009 18:24:13 GMT
Guilty as charged. Fodor's France 2009.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2009 16:45:14 GMT
You sound so enlightened K. with all that center stuff. I hope they compensated you handsomely for your pearls of wisdom.
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 7, 2009 8:24:44 GMT
K2 is enlightened!
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 7, 2009 16:10:00 GMT
We had dozens are are now down to a few. The internet and high real estate costs caused the demise.
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 7, 2009 18:09:47 GMT
I was quoted in the France guide about the Camargue.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2009 19:11:09 GMT
Great! And what did you say about it?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2009 11:55:49 GMT
I just finished Paul Theroux's ,Kowloon Tong,a novel of Hong Kong. An interesting read, covers part of that period in our lifetime when Hong Kong was being "handed" back to China. I am intrigued by this period to some degree, because it was talked about for so very long before happening, and the very different views that were taken about it. Theroux spent an extended period of time in Hong Kong working on a different project (a film screenplay for Wayne Wang's film,China Box,1998) and this novel is the result of his observations and experiences with the people living in Hong Kong on the eve of the handover. I would love to hear some discussion of other people's recollections of this historic event.
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Post by spindrift on Aug 3, 2009 18:44:03 GMT
I shall buy 'Kowloon Tong' Casimira. That can be my holiday read.
My only memory of the event is that the fairly awful Chris Patten and his daughters became involved in the handing over.
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