Unable to make a journey to a new land without doing some book scouting, I took a taxi to the part of San Diego where book stores reside. Most cities slowly, over time, become a series of towns or communities within a city. This is caused by racism, economics, new buildings, priority shifts, and many other factors difficult to project. Old book stores, hanging on by a letter, and hoping to find a market niche of some kind, a system that either defeats the internet or embraces it, are usually within a mile or two from each other. Often nearby is some kind of college or university surrounded by various thrift shops, cafes, coffee houses, and a plethora of specialty shops.
After a speedy taxi ride where I learned my driver was quite frustrated with his "worrying and anxious" wife who did not want her 13 year old son out past 11 at night (he maintained she was being silly and not wanting her son to grow up), I arrived in the scholar district and walked into a book store. As I have done hundreds of times, I stood near the doorway to learn the store. Each book store has a character, a personality, a system, and an energy that shouts at me. Some stores seem tired, as though their heyday is long past, others seem to shine and bristle with knowledge, eager for a customer to enter the world and leave a better person with books in hand. Some stores have a nice mix of hardbacks and paperbacks, or more non-fiction than fiction, or more childrens books or adult books or political or history or collectibles or simply a little of everything.
Looking around carefully with what I perceived as my "book grin," an odd smile that overtakes me when I am around books of all kinds, a euphoric grin that naturally emanates when I see a book, I realized I was in a store that valued non-fiction over fiction and made more money selling sexual oriented books than anything else. Yet, the visit was not a waste for against one long wall was the literature section. Always curious how the owner separates the "literature" from the "non-literature," I began to scout.
My quest for books involves first hardback fiction and a look for particular authors--Roth, McMurtry, McCarthy, Greene, Vidal, Burgess, Mailer--to name a few. Then I head to the mystery area to look for Fleming, Crider, Spillane, MacDonald, and perhaps Morrell. I look for books in good condition, preferably 1st editions, that are not ruined with too many personal comments in the margins. I then head to the history section, the theology area, and finally the music and fine arts. Near the end of my sojourn, I take several minutes studying the collectible books. Using a discerning but quick eye, I determine which books I have to have and which ones will need to stay on the shelf! I remind myself not to look simply at those books which are eye level but to look up, to get on the ground, to look behind the obvious, to find the gem that just might be hiding in some way. To treat each book as a special vessel through gentle handling is an essential requirement of a book scout.
Finding two early James Bond editions, wrestling with a nice Victor Hugo, and wondering idly how many books on sex the world really needs, I headed across the street to another store. This was a smaller store with limited stock most of which seemed focused on homosexuality and lesbianism. Yet as I looked at the few collectibles, I saw a gem. A well-used but in good condition Forgotten Village by Steinbeck! The price looked like $125 but the cashier assured me it was $12. Buying it quickly, and getting directions to another store, I left feeling quite satisfied with my venture.
I walked 15 city blocks to another very small store, argued with myself about purchasing a signed book for $75, bought a biography of Teddy Roosevelt, and took a cab back to the hotel. This ride was more rewarding as we discussed Ethiopian worship practices in San Diego. The driver was quite intelligent and perceptive as he pointed out the differences between typical African-American worship styles as compared with Ethiopian preferences. It was quite enlightening and I wish it could have continued. But it was time for dinner with some friends!
Another successful book scouting journey for me!
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