February Picks: Books We Love Part 2

Sheila loves: For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann

Rev. Heather loves: Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Connor loves: Tales Worth Telling: Views from an Ivory Tower by Harry St. Clair Hilchey
Unfortunately we’ve only got a used copy of this book, available in-store only! Come in and pick up this collection of anecdotes from the history of Wycliffe College.

Ryan loves: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

Ryan says: “The Silver Chair is my favourite book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a great entry point into the Narnia series or, for others, a great re-entry point.” 

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Bookmarks from Bookshops

When sorting the used books that come into Crux, I often find bookmarks advertising bookshops — most of these bookshops are now closed sadly. I want to visit them, but cannot. Here are two I’d like to see.

James Thin of Edinburgh specialized in religion and theology and claimed one of the largest stocks of books in Britain. Oh to be able to browse in this shop! A little digging produces the fact that the flagship bookshop is now Blackwell’s, Edinburgh. Apparently Muriel Sparks wrote her novels on notebooks from Thin’s. Who knew that a bookmark would have so much interesting history behind it?

I can’t find as much information about Diversity Antiques and Collectibles, Inc. of Halifax, N.S., though it appears that Mr. McGee is no longer in business. I’ve never been to Halifax, but I’d like to go — there seem to be a lot of interesting second-hand bookshops in the area. Why else would you want to go to Halifax?

Windows on Canterbury: A Bookmark

Here’s a bookmark found in a batch of used books at Crux:

It is pretty. And sort of upside down. This bookmark has the tassel dangling from the bottom instead of hanging off the top. I’m not sure how that is meant to work. Maybe the bookmark is meant for a small book so the tassel hangs below the book to mark the page? Maybe it is meant for a prayerbook. Maybe it actually me that is upside down.

Bookmarks

One of the many bookmarks that come into Crux in used books people sell us is featured on The Backlist. More bookmarks, and other bits and pieces found in used books, will be featured here in this blog in the Seen & Heard category. Watch for it!