Blogging Anniversary - 10 years

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A while ago I checked when I did my first blog post, in order to celebrate with an anniversary post. Well, that day came and went without any reaction from me. Better late than never, so here a reminder of my very first blog post from 24 October 2012.  The book was New Finnish Grammar  by Diego Marani. Marani is an Italian novelist, translator and newspaper columnist. While working as a translator for the European Union he invented a language ‘Europanto’ which is a mixture of languages and based on the common practice of word-borrowing usage of many EU languages. It was a suitable book to start with, being a book about letters, languages and memories. With a beautiful prose, the novel went directly to my heart.  "One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay. The doctor, of a newly arrived German hospital ship, Pietri Friari gives the unconscious soldier medical assistance. His new patient has no documents or anything that can ide...
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A wonderful bookshop

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Hello again. I have been away for ten days and believe it or not no real access to the internet. At least not in such a comfortable environment where I can write something on my blog. But, I have not been lazy, been reading a lot and also visited a wonderful antiquarian bookshop in Palma city on Mallorca. And I want to share this experience with you.

Fitfh & Bond Fine Books (The English Bookshop, Calle Morey 7, Palma (just off Plaza Santa Eulalia - nottinghillbook@hotmail.com) is situated in the old city of Palma, its surrounding very fitting. You come inside and there are books absolutely everywhere. There are some small paths without books and here is where you have to carefully walk along. The whole place is like a labyrinth and where ever you turn there is a book case or books lying on the floor in piles. You come in on the top floor and work yourself downward 3-4 floors. When you are at the bottom of the shop you quietly wonder whether you will find your way up again!


You find here both old and new books in all matters; fiction and non-fiction on literature, geography, history, marine and military history, art, music, film etc, etc plus a room with new pocket books where you can choose 3 for 10 euros. I spent two hours there this time and came out with 6 books for 30 euros. Since I am a book freak I could have bought another 10 if I hadn't controlled myself.


Here are the books that I bought:

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories by R.L. Stevenson (this is for my Brontë Reading Group)
Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCraig (look out for a review of this book which will come in a few days)
A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr
Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes
Thackery: A Writer's Life by Catherine Peters
Mrs Jordan's Profession by Claire Tomalin (presently reading her book on Dickens)



 

If you are in Palma de Mallorca this place is a must! Good luck in venturing into the labyrinth of books. I actually think of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's 'The Shadow of the Wind' and his 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books' when I am here. Closer to that place I don't think you can come. Maybe I should look for it in Barcelona when I am there next.


Location: Brussels, Belgium

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