Dreamer of Dreams, Part One

I love everything that’s old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines. ~Oliver Goldsmith

I have been waiting to write this post for a long, long time.

It was a deciding factor in the name I chose for this site. It’s been a steadily-brewing desire since the days I sat among the stacks and shelves of Katherine Downs’ shop and learned to love the weight of a well-made book in my hands and the feel of the thick, smooth pages between my fingers.

It’s been a vision I’ve cherished: not only to make the proper introductions between certain books and those I know would love them, but to provide the volumes themselves to any who might want to give them a home on their shelves. To offer beautiful, hand-selected old books for a good value and with the personal element of thoughtful reviews.

And so, it is with the greatest excitement that I wish to announce that Monday, the second of August, in the year of our Lord 2010, the Book Shop at Lanier’s Books will open its doors.

I’ll be hanging out the sign, by way of a discreet little link on the sidebar, and it will be a virtual open house. I only wish I could provide the tea for anyone who “stops by”. I can’t imagine anything nicer than sitting down with such kind and lovely readers and chatting the afternoon away over all the verities of life, like Mrs. Downs and I used to do in those days cherished of old.

Lanier’s Books

Antiquarian Gems and Gently-loved Jewels

Opening Monday, August 2, 2010

When you sell a man a book you don't sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book. ~Christopher Morley
And you’ll notice that I’ve titled this post Part One. Look for more secrets sprinkled over the summer, my friends…

30 Comments

  1. Yay for those secrets!! 😉

    But for now, I must make a pact with my hubby that we shall not spend all our spare money here at laniersbooks.com 🙂

  2. Oh, how perfectly lovely! I’m so excited… I always love seeing pictures of your old and beautiful books, but I never know where to find similar ones (England was good for that [as you know! :)], but not very accessible right now!:)…and now I know!

  3. How exciting! I’ve looked for recommended books in the past only to be disappointed. Not only does my library not carry many of them, it seems all of the thrift bookstores carry copious amounts of old Clive Cussler and Jackie Collins but not much else. I search in vain for these titles, hoping to find an old copy with the original dustjacket. It sounds as though my search may be over! Thank you!

  4. Sounds delightful! All my Dickens are packed for moving so I am reading a yucky, paperback version of Little Dorrit. Can’t wait to get my hands on some old books!

  5. Are you offering by-appointment-only sells (tea optional) ? JK, of course. What a great idea though … good for you! I am excited to see the treasures YOU collect through selling your treasures. Also, any Allen Rains that you may come across on a trip to Wales would be delightful!

  6. Oh my, I can’t wait for your shop to open! What fun it will be to browse your shelves 😀

  7. Dear Lanier,

    SO WONDERFUL that you are doing this! What a great idea!!!

    This is somewhat related – but wanted you to at least know it was out there if you found a beautiful old book at some point that was not salvageable. Caitlin at rebounddesigns.etsy.com makes beautiful, unique purses out of books that are thrown away, and will make custom purses, too. I actually bought one for myself and one for my best friend…they are great. I first heard about her on NPR. Anyway, just thought you might be interested.

    Congrats and this gives me yet another reason for a daily visit of your site. Love your writing!

  8. Hi Lanier,

    Ever since the day I discovered Gene Stratton Porter by reading your review of “Freckles”, your opinions on all things literary have carried no small weight with me. To echo everybody else, I too look forward to the opening of your shop! May the Lord bless you richly in this new adventure. : )

  9. I’m delighted! I started collecting old, beautiful-inside-and-out, books as a teenager; looking forward to browsing your treasures.

  10. Lanier: I am so pleased for you! How excited you must be to have a dream and desire that the Lord has given you finally come to fruition. Thank you that you have provided a means for those of us who follow your website to share in the treasures which come your way! I look forward to continuing to meet your “old friends” either here or, perhaps, in person through a purchase. Many blessings to you!

  11. What a lovely idea, and what a great way to live your passion and bring pleasure to others! Quite a lot of the books you reviewed here are not translated into German. And it’s difficult or not at all possible to get them here in English. So my question: would you consider shipping to Europe?
    Best wishes!

    1. Absolutely, Martina! And I will do everything I can to keep the shipping costs as low as possible. 🙂

  12. Jumpin Jehoshaphat! How perfect for you, and how fortuitous for us! I can assure you that Bron and I will perusing your shelves. Lanier, I just told Mike, and he said, “Ohhhh goodness.” He’s looking worried 😉 Ha! No worries–I have my own pin money. 🙂

  13. Congratulations! I look forward to reading more about your new and exciting endeavor.

    Blessings, Elaine

  14. Since you are the one who introduced me to Elizabeth Goudge, I can’t help wondering if any of her books will be among your offerings… I’m particularly looking for The Bird in the Tree and City of Bells 😉 .

  15. Oooh, how fun! If it weren’t for this site, I don’t think I would have read Daniel Deronda (the book) or Elizabeth Goudge (the writer). I love old books, although our townhouse doesn’t have much room for them. But if I donate a lot of those paperbacks I don’t use anymore to make room for great old books…hmmm.

    What could be nicer than an old book, with perhaps a tissuey front page and a ribbon bookmark, hand-drawn illustrations, a slightly musty, woodsy smell, a sewn binding with cheerful red and white thread, page edges soft from the touch of many fingers over the years. And on the pages, the occasional raised letter or speck in the typesetting, so you know it wasn’t printed on a perfect mechanical computer! *sigh*

    I think this is such a great idea, because in these times of the Kindle and all that, some people may yearn even more for a good old-fashioned book.

  16. Thank you for sharing all you do. I have been visiting your site but this is my first time posting. Although I am still in the process of reading through your posts, those I have read have touched my heart and are inspiring me to view reading in a different light. As a girl growing up in a broken home and in the public school system, I didn’t read very much, except what was required and it all seemed like work, work, work. I have seen some movie versions of classic books and for the most part have enjoyed them. But the inspiration I find here makes me want to read the books themselves. I hope to learn a lot and meet many new friends among the pages.

  17. … I can just hear that little tinkle of a bell, jingling over the door frame as all your customers pop in for a visit! I’m so excited about your open house and will definitely be by to browse. : )

  18. Splendid. I’ll be stopping by August 2.

    By the way, I love “What I Believe”. That has summed it up well for two thousand years.

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