Sunday, Books and Steampunk

Left the hotel about 9.30. The car started and I drove down to Historic Precinct. An area of restored Whitestone buildings that was once the bussiness hub with banks, hotels, grain and woolstores. Today this area is shops, galleries, and best of all second hand book shops. Of course I was there early--nothing opens before 10 am--so I took a few photographs.

The SteamPunk Museum

The pub we drank in yesterday

As soon as Adventure Books opened I went in and was welcomed by the owner and given a tour of the shop and learnt the layout of the books. Niel was right--he highly recomended this shop--the shop was a gold mine of Antarctic books. Just so many firsts I could not believe. Books that you only see on the Internet.

One of the many unlocked cupboards

OK, kids don't panic I didn't spend all you inheritence. I thought I did pretty well, I got about $90 discount and free postage. Now Jane you can worry, but not too much as I didn't buy any books from the closed glass cabinets. Although I had the cabinets opened so I could photograph all the books to consider them later after I am back home.

Once I had finished with the books I skipped across to the SteamPunk Museum. Here the hilight was the Portal. A small room about 3 metres square lined with mirrors and an arrangment of hanging things and lights. Before entering you push a big red button and step into the room and the show starts. Although the rooms seems to be infinite in all directions only three people can enter at one time.

The rest of the museum was excellent with a lot of fun SteamPunck items. Well worth a visit.

A bulldozer and the obligatory airship.

The days started out cool but not cold, however by midday it was freezing. After stoping at Countdown for a bottle of wine I was back at the hotel about 1.30 pm. Had lunch, wrote this blog and soon will be going out to Davids for dinner and viewing of some slides taken during the 1960 season at Scott Base.

A bulldozer and the obligatory airship.

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Friday Dunedin, The Regent Book Fair

Today is the day of the Regent's 24 hour book fair. A book fair I have'nt been to for several years. Although, in the past I went for several years with my daughter Jane and her husband Gary. Then the book fair spread across the whole theatre including the large stage area and had continual entertainment for the whole 24 hours. Jane would go down and queue, waiting some times for four hours for the doors to open. She would always be amongst the first in the there. We would stay within walking distance and go back every few hours to check the new books that were continually being brought out. We stopped going after new management took over and appeared to offer only 'nice' looking books. The number of books had reduced and only took up a small proportion of the Theatre. They appeared to have discarded all the old books, the type we wanted to look at. After that fair we and some of the other book collectors and buyers from the North Island decided not go back. However after a few years away I have decided to try the again.

I walked down to the Regent theatre arriving at 11.50 am, ten minutes before opening. Bad news the queue didn't even reach half way to the corner. In past it would been around the corner and at least 200m up the street. Not a good sign.

Once inside the only books in sight where on the stage and a small area in front of it. The old fairs used this spance and had table-tops arrange along the ailse on the backs of all the downstair theatre seating. A tremedous spread of books.

I climbed onto the stage and began looking through the books. It had been a while since my last book fair but I soon got into the swing of pushing passsed people and falling over the dealers large bags they pushed ahead of them as they fossicked for the best books. I was in book fair mode. A quick look along the tables of interest, I had found nothing when I saw sign. "Price books down stairs". I limped down narrow stairway to two rooms under the stage. The first, not very large with four tables around the walls. One with New Zealand books--none that interested me. Another with piles of those short lived books about sporting people--why they even bothered to price them I don't know. The rest of the books tended to be of the coffee-table genre. The other room down stairs was much bigger and more books but at least half were fiction. I did however manage to pick a one Antarctic book.

After about one and half hours, that was it, my book fair was over. And to think that the following is how they described it on their Internet site: The Regent’s 24 Hour Book Sale is one of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest events of its kind and people schedule it into their calendars well in advance.

Outside I took this photo just to show I can capture interesting old buildings. Maybe not as interest and as grand as those Continental buildings my daughter is currently posting on her blog, but I had to do something because I knew the book fair couldn't compete.

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Thursday in Dunedin

First I went to Hard to Find (but worth the effort) secondhand book shop. Although not far from the hotel I took the car. It had satellite navigation I didn't.

The shop was up a steep flight of stairs but did have a chair-lift. Did I use it, of course not I am not a invalid I just have bad knees and problem climbing stairs.

The shop had plenty of books and some couches to sit and contemplate your purchases. Unfortunately not many interesting Antarctic books. I was told that the good books were in their Internet shop behind a set of glass doors and not open to the public. Although there was a notice on the door saying that staff would do a search for you. However, I needed to see what they had and check it against my database so I decided to leave that until I got back to the hotel. Especially since last night I had mastered the hotel's WiFi.

However I did find one book that I last saw in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Then I didn't buy it but this time I did.

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A day in Vancouver

Don reporting

Packed up this morning and checked out of the hotel then took a taxi to the railway station. Checked in my cases for the train to Toronto this evening. Grabbed another taxi to Mcleod's second-hand book shop in up town Vancouver. Found one book a facsimile copy of Amundsen's book and having it post back to NZ. The books shop now has many more books than last time, piled on the floor, in places two columns deep and to height of the second or third bookshelves. A real second-hand bookshop, books every where, not many like this left these days.

From here I walked up town had a meal and headed to The Bay - The Hudson Bay Department Store, that is. I was not dressed for the hot humid weather and as all my summer clothes were in my checked bag I decided to buy some light clothes. This I did after eventually finding the men's department on the sixth floor. After parting with some money came out looking completely different and feeling considerably cooler.

Headed back to the railway station, a big stone building with a cool interior - what a nice place in this warm weather. The only problem is the one ATM machine doesn't like any of my cards.

Ok I am back writing - the money exchange office, here at station, has just opened and the nice man behind the thick glass window has just given me some money

While in town I saw some White and Blue Smart cars with the logo 'Car2go', I saw some being driven and a couple parked on the side of the road. The cars are electric and it seems that you have a one time joining fee of $35 and it cost 35 cents a minute or $13.99 per hour. There are about 300 and you can seem to grab them any where and leave them anywhere. Sound interesting if you wont to know more try Car2Go.

Well that's all for day.

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Garrison, NY, and Antipodean Books

Today [Friday 5th October] Jane and Gary took the train down the Hudson to New York, while I headed up river for a second look at Antipodean Books. Yesterday we had called in at the book shop on the way to our hotel. Unfortunately, the owners David and Cathy Lilburne we away in New York city, hence the second visit.

We all went to the railway station and took our separate trains.


After a 36 minute.   s I got off the train at Garrison. A small town on the north side of the Hudson, across the river from West Point which Gary described the day before as "a large structure with small windows, possibly a prison".


The book shop, less than five minute walk from the station, has an extensive collection of Antarctic books--some in the shop and some in their house.


After mentally deciding on some books in the shop we headed up hill to the house. Here were shelves that were three books deep, downstairs, and another lot of books, upstairs. Time was limited as there was to be a wedding latter in the day in the viewing room at the shop. I selected a couple of books and while having a cup-of-tea upstairs found two more I could not do without. Back at the shop I added another book making five in all. Now having spent a tenth of the price of the book I really would have liked I called it day. Paid for my books, arranged to have them posted back to New Zealand, then caught the train back to Tarrytown.

This bookshop is a must for any serious collector of Antarctic books. I found it surprising, here in the Northern Hemisphere, to have Antarctic books not crowded out by Arctic books. Maybe it is because David is an Australian. If you cannot visit the shop you can find a catalogue at www.antipodean.com

The night before visiting I browsed some of the catalogue and was surprised to see how many copies of original Griffith Taylor, Cherry-Garrard, and Priestley books had been recently sold.

Take my word, if you are interested in Antarctic books take a look at the online catalogue or, better still, visit the shop at 29 Garrison Landing, Garrison, NY.

For those curious the books I bought were:

-- Rosove, Micheal - Antarctica 1772-1990 bibliography
-- Evans - Evans of the Broke
-- Borchgrevink - First on the Antarctic Continent (facsimile copy)
-- Markham - The Life of Sir Clements Markham
-- Bernacchi, Louis - To the South Polar Regions (facsimile copy)

- Posted Don

A Day in Canada

This morning [Saturday, 29th September] we drove up to Niagara on the Lake (NOL). Walked down to where the Niagara river enters Lake Ontario to see Fort Niagara on the US side of the river. Then we wandered up and down the main street, had lunch, and drove around Fort George, the Canadian fort.

Historically most of NOL was burnt and occupied, for short time, by the US during the war of 1812. A war that had its centenary celebrated in Canada this year. However a war, now little known in the US, maybe because the Canada (the English) won.

The streets of NOL are decorated with flowers and all the old shops display a marvellous array of goods.



Wine shops ...




And just for Jessie and Emma a sweet shop with a great range of toffee apples ...




An obligatory Christmas shop that had Jane a bit bewildered ...




On the way back from NOL we set the GPS to a book shop in St. Catherine that I had visited in June 2011. This was a 'proper' second hand book shop.  Here Jane looked for books ...




Gary read some books ...




and I went for the Arctic and Antarctic books ...




However before getting to the bookshop we had to cross the Wellan Canal using the old road. As we approached the bridge we saw that it was up. A large ship was coming down the canal into Lake Ontario.




As we could not go anywhere I videoed the ship passing. After passing the bridge, we were on, it passed under the high bridge carrying the main motorway.

Returning to the hotel we drop Jane off, put the beer on ice, and then Gary and I headed down the road about a mile to a Canadian war plane museum.

Outside the museum was a jet trainer mounted in a way that must have made its eyes water ...



- Posted Don

Toronto - Some more bookshops

One old book beats and an Ipad

Toronto has many secondhand bookshops. Some I had visited on previous trips and some I found for the first time. Although I visited many shops three that really impressed were Arcadia Art & Rare Books in Queen Street East, David Mason Books in Adelaide Street West and The Worlds Biggest Bookshop.

"Can I help you sir" greeted me as I entered The Worlds Biggest Bookshop.  "No just browsing" was my reply. I knew why I was there and that I could find my around any bookshop. Sometime later completely confused, although I had bought a Cat calendery thing for my daughter, I had to ask the man "Where can I find some books on the Antarctic".

The shop, although all on one level, is huge and well worth a visit even though Barnes and Noble  in New York are currently is the biggest according to Guinness Book of World Records. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Biggest_Bookstore

I was in Toronto in Autumn and dressing to suit the expected weather I headed off to Arcadia Art & Rare Books.   By the time I walked up Queen Street West I was hot with my coat slung over my shoulder, but the trip was worth it. Here I found a neat, well organized shop with books on all and every aspect of art. Unfortunately for me art is not my interest and the rare book aspect didn’t cover War or the Antarctic.

Next I grabbed a taxi and headed out to  David Mason Books . A typical commercial/office building, but after reading the list of tenants in the entrance hall I headed of down a plain yellow corridor to be greeted by a black and white cat looking into an open doorway.

Through this doorway was the bookshop and all its treasures with the door opposite leading to a work room and many more bookcases.

Here I was shown several Antarctic books prepared for an upcoming Book Fair. A first edition of Scott’s Last Expedition in two volumes took my fancy. The price, however, slowed me down a bit and after looking through the rest of the Polar books, I headed back.

At the hotel, I fired up my computer, opened Bookfinder.com and started to look at current asking prices. I had a problem.  Recently, I had been looking at the merits of an Ipad and now had to weigh up the advantages of technology over the purchase of an old book. The cost of  both being the same. While deep in thought I had a call via Skype from my daughter in New Zealand. While talking to her, I mentioned my problem and was told “The answer is easy. You can buy an Ipad  back in New Zealand”. My daughter is also an avid book collector. Now I am the proud owner of a first edition of Scott’s Last Expedition.

Toronto  was my last stop, from here I flew to Vancouver and onto New Zealand. Home and a long wait for the books I had posted. However not completely trusting the postal services I carried my Scott book in my suit case.

Halifax - John W. Doull Bookseller

A secondhand bookshop to die for

Welcome to the home of John W. Doull, Bookseller. Please search or browse our inventory of hard-to-find, out-of-print, used, and rare books. At present there are over 39,500 titles listed, with many now having accompanying portraits.

If you can't find what you like please fill out our search form and we will search our off-line inventory (another 100,000 or so books) for you. Gift certificates are also available in any amount you wish and can be mailed to the happy recipient of your choice.

We also offer appraisal services.

The opening paragraphs of the John W Doull Bookseller site.   A tidy, well organized, and laid out site is no preparation for entering his shop in Halifax. 

You walk through a double set of doors separated by a small porch essential for the cold winters in Halifax.  Wait a minute, it was wet and windy as I struggled through the doors furiously trying to fold up my umbrella and take of my soaked raincoat when I burst into a REAL SECONDHAND BOOKSHOP.  The sort of shop you dream about with overfilled bookshelves rising ever upwards, small spaces between them with just enough room walk, extra books taking up what spare floor space and there on my right a long counter piled high with books completely blocking your view.  As I walked further into the shop, breathing in the aroma of books, I spied a break in counter books and saw the shopkeeper busy at a small table.  A table covered in, of course, books.

“Hullo, nice shop” I said.   “Feel free to browse” was my greeting which I did off and on for the next two days.

After getting directions to my areas that interested - the Nautical and the Polar sections - I headed off. 


As luck would have it, they were next to each other.  The Nautical section was at the head of the stairs straight through the while the Polar section was immediately to the right just past the brown door and before the canvas gate.

Now the stairs - two flights separated by a landing.  Piles of books stacked at the outer edges of the stairs and landing leaving a narrow but adequate walkway.

 I reached the Polar books get out my camera and take several pictures needed to describe the area.  The stitched photo below shows the polar section, about 400-500 books (I didn’t count them) including the additional boxes and books on the floor.  Not shown are the large format books that continue across the top of brown door.  

This was 'heaven' for a collector of Antarctic books.  Not only did I find lots of books, but also with running in the rain and moving and sorting through the boxes. I got my daily exercise.

The shop may appear to a non-book collector to be chaotic and a bit of mess and bring forth thoughts like ‘where do I start’ or ‘help, let me get out of here’.  However, the shop, like the database on the web site is organized.  Books are in categories with quirky signs.

Although the books within each section have, some sort of grouping thankfully there is no attempt at sorting by author.  Because of the wonderful discoveries, I made while browsing for books on my want list. My pile of purchases grows only limited by my baggage allowance and the postage costs to New Zealand.

This shop is a must visit if you are in Halifax.  Why not go to Halifax, browse through this shop for yourself, and then take the train across Nova Scotia back to Toronto.  Do this in the autumn and see the colour and when you arrive in Toronto you will find plenty of secondhand and antiquarian bookshops?    

Sidney - Booktown Canada

September 2010

Sidney - Booktown Canada

Vancouver Island, Canada.

After arriving at the airport, beautifully decked out in flowers (the airport that is) grab a taxi and head across to Beacon Avenue .If you travelling by ferry from Vancouver  you can hop of the bus right on Beacon Avenue.

Now on the main street of Sidney you can explore the secondhand bookshops to your heart’s content or until you can't carry anymore books, run out of cash or you reach the sea. For Sidney is not just the Secondhand Book Capital of BC,it is also a seaside holiday spot.

Beacon Books 

First, there is Beacon Books where I picked up several Antarctic books both on this trip and previously in 2008. This is a large general secondhand bookstore, including some rare and antiquarian books, but no military books.

Inside Beacon Books

For these you must go further down the avenue to their second shop called The Book Cellar. Here they specialize in military history and biography, history of war, Naval and maritime, Aviation, railways, maps and military ephemera. However, before we head off, next door is Country Life Books specializing in crafts and hobbies.

The Book Cellar.

On the way down turn into Third Street to find Galleon Books &  Antiques with a very large collection of quality used books, in a well-organized shop, with extremely helpful staff. Here I bought books relating to the Antarctic, WW1 Raiders, raising the scuttled German fleet at Scapa Flow, and a biography on Barnes Wallis. All these books, like most on the shelves had their dust jackets covered. The shop had no problem in organizing posting to New Zealand. Don't be fooled by the picture below the shop is much large than it appears in the photo - a bit Tardis like.

Galleon Books &  Antiques

You come out of this shop and walk right into The Haunted Bookshop the oldest antiquarian bookshop on the Island. And here I was tempted again and purchased a fine copy of John Stewart’s the two volume set ‘Antarctic – An Encyclopedia’. Why I purchase heavy books overseas I do not know, maybe it is it my philanthropic support of Canadian Post?

The Haunted Bookshop

Now back on Beacon Avenue we see Time Enough for Books and next door Paperback Writer. The former describes itself as having ‘gently used books – a small eclectic store specializing in children’s books, health & psychology, audio books'’ while the latter as the name implies specializes in paperbacks.

Sidney is book collectors town, with a good assortment of secondhand book shops,  Tanners and  The Children's Book Shop selling new books and I was told a Book Restorer has just set up operation.


 I spent a full day going through the shops, buying books and the night packing them for postage the next day back to New Zealand. On postage – it is costly and takes a long time. Today, the 17 December, the books I posted and the books posted by the helpful man at Galleon Books & Antiques on 29 September have just arrived on my doorstep.

I assure any book collector, a day or two spent in some or all of the 23 secondhand book shops in Sidney and Victoria will be rewarding.

Now to finish up as you can see from the photo below once you are in Sidney, even the statues go into book hunter mode.

If you wont to know more why not try
www.sidneybooktown.ca
www.booksvancouverisland.ca