Utentemeetinghousebooks

I collect what I'm interested in, and over the years I've been interested in lots of different things. Have always loved fantasy and "strange tales" -- am fond of certain Brit mystery writers like Robert Barnard, Caroline Graham, Ruth Rendell, Minette Walters -- like the old-fashioned tales of the criminous as written by William Roughead & Edmund Pearson -- fascinated by cultural history, customs, folklore, mythology, fairy tales, etc. -- like a sharp wit (yoo hoo, Jane Austen!) -- I have all of S.J. Perelman's books & go back to him when I'm feeling glum -- love lots of other 20s-50s humorists too: Will Cuppy, Robert Benchley, Don Marquis -- interested in history in general, especially when a lens is put on a specific focal-point (such as Aries' Hour of Our Death & Centuries of Childhood).

I've always loved books. Started working in bookstore when I lived in Chicago & was a constant presence at the Aspidistra. Owner finally said, You're always here anyway, we might as well put you to work. Ever since then I've worked in bookstores and have owned my own for over 25 years. I tell people I had to open a bookstore in self-defense, because if I had any other job I'd spend my whole paycheck on books anyway. This way it's my job to buy books. Of course, I have to relinquish them, too (sigh). But I do maintain my own collections apart from the shop's.