Interested in Books ?
Articles - Retirement
When I was a child, I used to really love being given books as a present for birthdays or Christmas. Come to think of it, I still do ! I have always been interested in books. I love the smell, the feel of them - they are very satisfyingly tactile things.I:0:J
by PeterShaw


When I was a child, I used to really love being given books as a present for birthdays or Christmas. Come to think of it, I still do ! I have always been interested in books. I love the smell, the feel of them - they are very satisfyingly tactile things.I:0:J

These days, I suppose I could be called a bibliophile, though it always sounds to me as though it means someone a little too fond of his tipple ! Although I still love touching and holding books, I am even more fond of actually reading them !

My life with books really started in earnest some years ago, when the substantial business I owned and ran got into real trouble with the abrupt downturn in the IT world resulting from the Y2K scare (remember it ?). To cut a long and somewhat unedifying story short, I was left with no job, no business, and very little money. Anyway, a classified ad in a local paper caught my eye about a bookbinding business for sale - the owner was emigrating to Israel, so being interested in books I took a look. This first step resulted in my learning the trade from my four employees (a bit back to front, wouldn't you say?). We did lots of stuff for a major local university, as well as firms of lawyers, private book collectors, and students. At the same time, I started buying secondhand books, renovating some, and putting some up for sale on the internet.

After a while, I had enough to open a bookshop, and with my new and very supportive wife moved to a super old building which had a double store front with workshops and offices at the back. It was perfect.

Now retired, I still keep a small bookshop in a beautiful, remote village in the Karoo, in South Africa, where my customers are tourists and farmer's wives - both few and far between ! But that's great - I hate parting with any of my books anyway, and its like sitting surrounded by old friends all day !

Related articles by Zemanta

* Bibliophile (cognitive-edge.com)

* Bookshelf of the Week: Bratislavan Bibliophile (robaroundbooks.com)

* Linking and Pageviews 1850 Style: The American Bookbinders Museum (treehugger.com)

* customizing a book, part one (newfry.typepad.com)

Enhanced by Zemanta

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.