Bibliomania

A great night out last night with Daughter and Daughter-in-law. We went to listen to a comedian who's also a bibliophile talking about books, book shops, bookshop characters, libraries, librarians, and did I mention books?

He was fab and I could have listened to him talking for another hour or so. He didn't stop, but also leapt from book to book as he picked them up or something reminded him of something else. He was lovely too, very generous of spirit and loving. 

I am a little ashamed that not only had I not read any of the books he mentioned, I hadn't even heard of the authors. Unlike Daughter who had read several.  I was impressed. (Actually both Daughter and Daughter-in-law have first class degrees in English. Just boasting there.)

But seriously this man - his name is Robin Ince by the way - must spend a fortune on books. He'd brought just a few with him but the variety was amazing. He'd bought in Australia a scrapbook that had been made in the fifties by a girl who must have loved the movie stars at the time. Apparently he asked the bookseller how much it was.

"It's free but priceless to anyone who wants it."

He also had another book that he'd bought for the hand-written inscription - not by anyone famous, just a unique and special message from one person to another.

Which reminded me of autograph books. Do they still make them? I had one as a child - I think most people did in those days - but the only autographs I had were from schoolfriends and family.

'Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you.' That from my great-gran.