Last week I travelled to NSW to talk to Phillip Israel of Leura Books in Candelo and the people at the famed Berkelouw barn at Berrima. In addition I visited a few other booksellers around Wollongong in NSW. I also visited booksellers in Mossvale and Cooma.

I wanted to speak to Phillip Israel because he began his career in books in his own bookshop in Sydney, moving later to Leura in the Blue Mountains and finally to a house on a windswept hill in the bush near Candelo where he no longer sells direct to the public but deals only over the net, in fact he is reputed to be the largest dealer on the net. This interested me, as I wanted to follow his progression from bookshop owner to net dealer. I wanted to know why how and what he had achieved.

I certainly do not wish to move from bookshop to net but I am interested in the possibility of selling some books on the net in addition to conducting the shopfront business. In Yungaburra at times it gets very very quiet.It was all very interesting with Phillip and in fact everyone I met being frank and helpful.

It came down to a lifestyle choice in Philips case and he loves living in a remote area in a delightfully warm house battered by wind and cold slanting rain high above a silver thread of a fast running creek, miles from the nearest hamlet. He and his wife love it there. Shops don't thrive in such locales.

Each of the other booksellers I met had a slant on life peculiar to their area - they had differing busy periods, focused on different types of books and had clientele of differing natures.

Certainly my colleagues helped me uncover a little cache of Ion Idriess books I had been having difficulty sourcing at a reasonable price in the north.

In Cooma at the Dorothy Dickens bookshop Roy Easdown had a serious focus on books with a history or angle about the Snowy Mountains and the high Monaro country. Odd when you think about it from one perspective. The people who are most interested in these books come from the area where the stories in the books originated.

I guess I should not be surprised as we have a parallel here with a great interest showing in books about Cairns (good old Ion Idriess stars there) the early days on the Tablelands, specific family type history books in the north and in particular stories about the pioneer and mining days.

In Mossvale I had an interesting time with Mossvale Books in the main street. They deal only in new books. The inventory was large and in response to my surprise at that I was told me that the shop belongs to a buying group of booksellers who via their combined strength can source new books at a reasonable price and under certain circumstances are enabled to return non selling stock. After my shock at the prices of paperbacks in airport news shops with items such as Bob Barrett new release selling at $30.00 (yes paperback) I was greatly interested in this concept.

I discovered of course, or rather I had it reaffirmed that there is no such thing as a cheap new book. The prices hover around a quite expensive base amount to higher more demanding prices according to the nature of the book. Quality is the issue.

Barrett’s paperback sells at $30.00 and the beautiful hardcover "Odysseus Unbound" by Robert Bitterstone for instance, a copy (just one) of which I recently obtained from Cambridge Press is selling here at $75.00.

So Sol as they say "books ain't books".

As we know the same adage holds for second hand or used books as well. If a book is rare or scarce or unusual for a variety of reasons its value may soar.

Talking about that very subject yesterday a man brought me a group of Norman Lindsay works he wanted to sell. A few of them were very old and signed and numbered. However they had been poorly kept, been attacked by insects and were badly stained. A great shame as they were scarce items and potentially valuable. As it was they were valued at a fraction of what they may have been. It is really worthwhile looking after good books.

I had a good and cheap lunch at the Surveyor General hotel in Berrima on the way to Berkelouws just three kilometres down the road past the historic sandstone Georgian Jail. The pub is the oldest licensed "ale house" in Australia they claim. Well you do have to lower your head going through some of the doors so either the people were shorter back in the 1830s or the whole place is collapsing into the ground. Wonderful bangers and mash I assure you.

Berkelouws is an interesting place with its 'ordinary" books kept in a specially built barn with a couple of interior levels designed to entrap the wide eyed book aficionado.... learning from Odysseus I put metaphorical wax over my eyes. If I had not I would be there still.

Now as to the Berkelouws antique section...no that is too much, far too delectable, delovely and delicious as Cole Porter will have it. I will save it for the next newsletter. Believe me it was worth the visit.

OK, sufficient unto the day are the evils therein (c’mon tell me who said that and I will buy you a coffee at Spencer and Murphy) so lets get back to the day to day stuff here and what books of interest today we have here.

We have a little Christmas gift table with a few new book offerings on it at the moment.

There is old stager Stephanie Alexander and her book "The Cooks Companion", at $95.00. One copy

We have one copy left of David Johnson's "The Geology of Australia". It is actually understandable. It goes at $69.95. More can be ordered

We have six of Cairns author's book " A Photographic Record of Colonial Queensland - the work of John Henry Mills, Professional Photographer 1851-1919 ". This is beautiful and worthwhile gift. An investment with not too many having been published. A snap at $39.95.

Oh I have to mention this delightful second hand book I have on hand. It is "Antarctica" by Eliot Porter. A big book it is a first edition which I happily describe as fine and beautiful. In great condition with a nice dust cover and the hard cover, a beautiful white with black impressed printing, very Antarctica beach. It’s a beautiful and unusual item. Price? $80.00. Bring this out in 10 years and say, "well, that was a nice investment".

We have lots and lots of second hand books of good quality, most, if not all at below net prices.

I glance around me as I write and see “Alfred Deakin” $15. “War For The Asking” $12. “Darwin his Daughter and Evolution”. $22.

How about Christmas travel? Well here's a couple of (ahem) travel books. "Phaic Tan" ($12) and "Molvania” also at $12. Rob Sitch ought to remove the travel bug from you forever with these efforts.

We have thousands of books to choose from and can search for any book you wish via the net. All you have to do is ask. We order books from around the world on a daily basis.

If you are interested in a specific field let us know and we will email the list of books we have.

Come and see us when you can and if you are a newsletter subscriber let us know. There’s a free cup of coffee in that.

If you are at Mt Garnet or Dimbulah and need a quick present call or email us. We will work out something together and if you can’t get here we will deliver to your door.

If at Christmas you want something special ask us to make up a hamper (request only) and you will be able to give somebody a lovely box full of delightful items…local coffee, chocolates etc with a book of choice included.

Stargazing

by Peter Hill

"The contrast with the age old lighthousekeepers could not be more marked. Stargazing is a wise and wistful tribute to a time and way of life that no longer exists...but one that will always capture the imagination and stir the soul."

Price $10.

Quick & Tasty Desserts

Quick simply great
tasting dessert recipes.

Price $8.

Big Cats
Turn the pages to unravel
the mysteries of life.

Price $10.

If I Had a Hammer

This little handyman book will allow your children
to experience and learn different facts about
handyman tools and much much more.

Includes a fun tool.

Price $8.