With the weekend comes down time (if I'm lucky), and sometimes, one of my friends and I take "Sunday Funday drives". We simply get in the car with a few destinations in mind, and head out on a spontaneous trip and see what the day brings. Somehow, we almost always find outdoor festivals, art shows, and random events. Today was no different. After some deliberation, we decided we would trek an hour from the good, old garden state and head across the river to Pennsylvania. Normally, we wander into New Hope and take a gander at the antique and art boutiques before grabbing a cafe lunch and whatnot.
Today was not much different. We headed in that general direction, but into another portion of New Hope called Lahaska and we found Peddler's Village. If you're ever in the area and need something fun do do on a quiet Sunday, I urge you to take a stroll around this place! It's so quaint and lovely to just lose yourself in some shopping, good food, and scenery for a bit. It's like stepping back in time and it couldn't have been more needed at the time by yours truly. I could NOT get enough!
Anyway, my friend and I popped into some shops and enjoyed a window view at brunch to people watch. It's when we wandered into My Favorite Shoppe that I felt I truly hit the jackpot. Inside this mini-paradise were assorted gifts ranging from jewelry to household essentials, antiques, and contemporary trinkets.
What caught my eye, however, were the cases and stacks of books. Old and new, for adults and children, the shelves and cases were packed and I didn't know where to look first! Luckily for me, there was a gentleman there who was so informative and helpful, and needless to say, I was in utter heaven.
I stayed lost among the shelves for quite awhile (I wish I had gotten more pictures of the cases, because they were enchanting). What I loved most was the amount of rare and first editions that were on hand. Not only did I get to look through the information provided by the card written in each book, but the man who helped me was just as in love with literature as I was. Aside from a few university professors I had the privilege of studying with, this gentleman was extremely knowledgable on the books I happened to pick up and peruse. Obviously, I couldn't leave empty-handed, and it was nearly impossible to depart with just a few titles, but rare books are a bit pricey, so I decided to build up my collection slowly in that regard. The ones I left with this afternoon were The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe, The Seven Seas, and The Call of the Wild.
The Call of the Wild:
As the card states, this was a very rare and early 1906 printing of the famous Jack London novel. There is an inscription inside dated September 1st of that year to Frank Masou from Uncle Sam. That personal touch gave this one just a touch of personal sentiment. Also, shortly after this edition was printed, they stopped putting portraits on the covers.
The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe:
While this short story was published in 2000, it's still considered rare. It is a first publication of an otherwise known ghost story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a collector because there are only 500 copies circulating in the world and it is no longer in print. Even though it's new(er), I still find this one my favorite among the treasures I purchased today.
The Seven Seas:
This is one of the most famous collections of poetry by Rudyard Kipling. You may know him as the author of The Jungle Book. With the popularity soaring due to the new Disney movie, the prices matched the mini-hysteria. There was a rare (and stunning) copy of those stories on the shelf as well, but I wanted to get something a little less known, even to me. I had no idea Kipling published poetry! This is a First American Edition from 1897 and also includes an inscription from July 4th of the publication year.
Needless to say, I am over-the-moon that I found this shop and such a helpful and informative man to geek out with regarding my love of books. I learned so much that I should have taken notes. There are facts I had been told about these books that I don't even remember. While they did put a tiny dent in my bank account, they were 110% worth the money. My classics section of my shelves are vast and I do own quite a bit (not to toot my own horn), but I have never had the privilege of owning such pieces. I can only hope to visit my new literary friends at this store one day soon and see what else they have (They get new novels on a weekly basis)!
Like I said, if you are in the area and need a bookish place to go and visit, this store is an absolute MUST! You will NOT regret the pieces you are guaranteed to come across.
I think it's time I go give these books a sniff (yes, they smell divine), and give them a proper home on my shelves. Until next time, bibliophiles... happy reading!
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