Blackwell's Booky House
Last week I hymned the glories of Powell's of Portland. But I was later reminded of another grand bookstore, Blackwell's of Oxford. I've made at least a couple visits there, and I have an old Blackwell's bookmark that I found thirty years ago (now perched above my desk). On one side is a print of Blackwell's on Broad Street. On the other side is this poem by John Masefield:
There, in the Broad, within whose booky house
Half England's scholars nibble books and browse.
Where'er they wander blessed fortune theirs:
Books to the ceiling, other books upstairs;
Books, doubtless, in the cellar, and behind
Romantic bays, where iron ladders wind.
If that doesn't arouse a longing to spend a couple hours nibbling and browsing in Blackwell's booky house, well . . . I think you're reading the wrong blog!
Posted by Dan Reid
at December 4, 2007 11:20 AM
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