Saturday, August 11, 2007

The joys of Daylesford (a bookish aside)

Just as I realised that this reading project is a really good excuse to buy books (whether I can bring myself to release them into the wild after I've read them is another matter), Paul and I conveniently went to Daylesford, home of the Lake Daylesford Book Barn and the Avant Garden bookstore. I took a list of your favourites, and decided I was going to buy any of them that were under $10. I've come home with 19 books. Eep.

The Book Barn, which I've been visiting since I was about the size of my profile picture, was up for sale the last time we visited. Sob! No more pot belly stove in the middle of the store, no more old dog warming his bones in front of it, no more Kerry recognising me each time I visited over the years (each time I was generally taller, but with the same haircut). But on this visit, I discovered that the store has been rescued! It's been bought by a chap who is continuing to run it as a secondhand book store - only with coffee! Hurrah! This works especially well when the person you're in the store with gets sick of browsing while you're still going, because then they can have a coffee and not just hover around asking if you're ready to go yet. Long may the Book Barn endure. But the favourite part of my visit was discovering a new section in the store. So you've got your 'Australian Literature' section, your 'Military History' section, your 'Music' section, etc...and then you've got your:



section. I had a quick scan of the books that have been classified under this label (expecting, I don't know, maybe some Wodehouse?), but I'm still not sure what the criteria is...


One more sight to share with you - outside the restaurant Frangos & Frangos are its principal patrons at their permanently reserved table, with cushions:



They were there every day, all day. Anyone for puppacino?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Releasing books into the wild?? What an interesting concept. As I've only quickly perused your thoughts-to-screen I ask this question without seeking if this has been mentioned in other 'blogs'. Was this your idea?

As for the fanatasy genre, no need to knock Conan the Barbarian. The characters may not have much depth but it does have plenty of.....come to think of it, what does it have a lot of? Ah yes, the idea of satisfying ones hunger for revenge.

On another note did you ever get around to stealing chairs? I just wandered if the instructions were actually workable.

Oh and one final comment, even though this is late...congratulations on your wedding.

S

Anna Ryan-Punch said...

I can't take credit for the book-releasing I'm afraid, have a look at www.bookcrossing.com and you'll see millions of people are registering and releasing their books into the wild.

I've never managed to work up to stealing anything as big as a chair, but I have taken off with a variety of wine glasses from various bars. And I'm really good at passing the hydroponic tomatoes off as cheap tomatoes at the supermarket checkout. You just pull the green bit out of the top and voila! $5 cheaper per kilo.

Unknown said...

Good gift idea methunks. Oñce timely $30 of voucher for Christmas @ Cressy Cottage (mine favoured)2nd hand buke store. A box full of bookses was mine to devour mwah haaarrr ha.