Yesterday was hot in St. Louis. Grand Blvd. was noisy and crowded.
I went into Mr. Dunaway's shop and browsed for an hour. It was cool,
quiet and organized. I found two fairly-priced books (obscure and of
interest,
I imagine, only to me). I bought them and spent half the night
reading one of them.
The experience of taking refuge from the clutter of a city into the
repose of a good
bookshop, finding a good book that barely dents the wallet, and
spending the next
few hours captivated by the purchase, is one that our grandchildren
will not enjoy. At least not in my home town of Milwaukee.
It can now be said (with the closing of "Recycled Books" on Prospect
Avenue)
that the Eastside no longer has a used bookstore.

Perhaps I should move my family to St. Louis. It seems
to be more of a book town.

Regards,

Jonathan Brodie