It’s only a couple hours north from my home to reach the town of Woodstock VT, which is a preferred destination for many reasons. The town is beautiful in any season, the main street is lined with charming shops and galleries, the dining and drinking options are numerous, and I can find a library and three bookshops within walking distance of each other. Now, that’s a great reason to visit any town.The Norman Williams Public Library had a book sale this past weekend ranging from 50 cents to a few dollars each on a great collection of hardcover and softcover books. My wife selected a novel and I found two non-fiction hardcovers that totaled $8. The library was happy and we were delighted.
A few steps down the street was the Yankee Bookshop, notable for its bright yellow awning. They claim to be the oldest continuously operated independent bookshop in town, having first opened in 1935. The shop is small but well organized. The book selection was wide-ranging and I was able to find some titles that I had to have. I also appreciated the rack of local newspapers at the front of the store. It’s amazing to me that more bookshops don’t bother with offering the local periodicals.
A few more steps up the street brought us to Shiretown Books. The shop has begun to intermingle new and used books on the same shelf. This is a great idea. I prefer to make my selections in the history, biography and political commentary section from used titles because a book about a historical event two hundred years ago, that was written by someone 10 years ago, is still fresh to me. Obviously, if you want to read an analysis of last year’s election, it’s necessary to buy at new book prices. I found two volumes at $4.95 each. So, for fewer than ten dollars I had a biography of Thurgood Marshall and Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser. Another good day as a result of used book pricing.
The final stop for the day was at Pleasant Street Books. It was a short ride/walk up the road and was the main reason we came on today’s visit. The antiquarian and rare book shop operated by Sonny Saul has thousands of books, many of which are first editions. The shop resides in a restored barn behind his house, along the river. It’s quintessential in its charm, inside and out. The inside has undergone a significant change over the past year. Sonny cleared out a lot of books on the ground level to make room for a piano and seating that can accommodate recitals. Although no formal schedule exists, I think we will be hearing (excuse the weak pun) more about it soon.
The rare books mingle with the merely used books. I like both types. For those looking for Shakespeare Folios, he has some. For those looking for Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco, the cost was only $8. For the Shakespeare, a bit more. I bought the Umberto Eco volume.
The upstairs section is more crowded than downstairs. The books are stacked from floor to ceiling, but Sonny has provided numerous low stools for visitors to hunch down comfortably to scan the treasures on the bottom shelves. I think I bought seven books, but I could easily have bought many more. Each aisle had something to peak my reading interest. Other aisles had volumes that peaked my collecting instinct. Sometimes my instincts get the best of me. This day I settled for the seven, which included one signed copy, a few first editions, and a few readers. Excellent.
Generally, a One-Day-Bookstore-Tour takes in a few nearby towns, but this time I never left the boundaries of Woodstock VT. In between the visits we took lunch at the Woodstock Inn and some libations at Bentley’s downtown. Both were fun, but the drinks are cheaper at Bentley’s, believe me. Can’t wait to come back to Woodstock.
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