It quickly became even more incomprehensible why people ever left Dulwich for something as dull as skiing, when they have not one, but two, absolutely lovely bookshops. Louise and I walked a very short bit, and visited awardwinning Village Books.
Their recommendation: The Devil in the Marshalsea. And I got a Books are my bag-bag. Such a great campaign.
I defy anyone to visit Dulwich books and not fall immediately in love with it. Louise and the cab driver talked about house prices on the way there, proving in a very reassuring way that certain topics are certainly universal, and then we arrived, on a sunny afternoon, to a shop that was quiet and warm and welcomming. “It’s mid-term, most people are away skiing.”
When they can visit their bookshop! What fools! But that of course only meant more tea and cake for me.
Their recommendation? Shotgun lovesongs. But since we also talked about books that were brilliant but difficult to recommend, I had to buy one of those as well. Louise understood.
As Ross from Friends would have put it.
I felt slightly apprehensive, when we entered the posh part of Chelsea. After all, what kind of bookshop could they possibly have? ‘They’ of course being the faceless mass of the rich.
Well, they have John Sandoe.
It is charming, friendly, and stacked with books. One of those shops that need sliding bookshelves to be able to store them all; and beautiful bookshelves they were too. There was even a desk up there among them. I felt very strongly that this would be an excellent place to write a book in. John Sandoe – if you’re reading this, think about it. It would be perfect! Your very own inhouse writer – sort of like a library cat, although perhaps not quite as cute. I could even try to look serious and literary when customer walked buy, or earn my keep by rearranging your bookshelves, carrying piles of books around, asking anyone who passes by if the need any help. And no matter how bad my writing is going, I promise never to harrass the customers looking for advice.
I have already tried to convince them about this on Twitter, and I think I had some success:
@katarinabivald @LandRBookshop We’ve had actors learning lines here before
— John Sandoe (Books) (@JohnSandoe) February 18, 2015
That was unfortunately the last I heard from them, but I’m sure they’re thinking about it as we speak.
Their book recommendation? Maxim Leo’s Red Love – The Story of an East German Family
I had a bad feeling about Slightly Foxed from the moment I looked at their window and noticed a sign that said Second -hand Book sale 50% off.
This will never end well, I thought, but it turned out that I could, and did, stick to the one-book-rule. And a bag, but I never have been able to resist Mr Darcy.
