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I not too long ago spent a complete month in Edinburgh, Scotland. I had absolutely the pleasure of being solid in a gender-swapped, American people musical retelling of Pride and Prejudice known as Prejudice and Pride. I performed Luke Charlton, a pastiche of Charlotte Lucas. After three weeks taking part in in Kansas City, the present went to play on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the whole month of August.
I’ve a convention I hold after I journey. I discover and go to an area bookstore, shopping for at the very least one ebook and hanging onto the receipt so I do know the place it got here from. However, spending a complete month in a UNESCO City of Literature teeming with bookstores, I wished extra of an journey. Before I ever boarded the aircraft to depart the USA, I put collectively a listing of 19 bookstores to go to: my journey by Edinburgh’s bookstores.
Some Disqualifications
Not all 19 of the shops had been doable. Peter Bell books had an indication within the window saying that the proprietor was high-risk, and so the shop was closed till additional discover. Sad, however completely comprehensible. I initially had Lighthouse Books and Word Power Books listed individually, however they’re the identical retailer. The Bookworm was completely closed. That nonetheless left 16 bookstores.
It wasn’t till I used to be scripting this that I spotted I fully forgot The Edinburgh Bookshop. 15 bookstores in a single month. No drawback.
Till’s, Armchair, and Blackwell’s
My spouse joined me for the primary two weeks, which had been additionally PTO from my day job, so I didn’t begin the bookstore journey in earnest. Nevertheless, we visited Till’s after consuming breakfast close by. I discovered a pleasant, previous printing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which appeared becoming for my first ebook buy of the journey. I additionally snagged just a little poetry ebook I’d by no means heard of, Moon-Flight and different Poems by Irvonwy Morgan.
As we had been wandering down towards the Grass Market a few days later, I wandered into Armchair Books. It was stacked excessive with very previous books and a few current, used hardcovers. The previous ebook odor was delightfully sturdy on this one. There, I discovered a primary printing of Ursula Ok. LeGuin’s Buffalo Gals and one other poetry ebook, Bloodroot by Annemarie Ní Churreáin.
And in fact, Blackwell’s was on the way in which to nearly every thing. Yes, Blackwell’s is a big chain, like Barnes & Noble within the USA. However, this location can also be the oldest bookstore in Edinburgh, having opened in 1848. I didn’t precisely really feel previous, nevertheless it was very good. Braking Day by Adam Oyebanji and The Room Between Us by Denise Saul appeared excellent.
Lighthouse, Edinburgh Books, Golden Hare, and Forbidden Planet
Lighthouse was, palms down, essentially the most superbly progressive bookstore I’ve ever seen. The workers was LGBTQIA+. The cabinets had been dominated by progressive fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and every thing else you’ll be able to consider. Not solely did I seize 100 Queer Poems by Mary Jean Chan and Andrew McMillan, however A Comprehensive Guide to Intersex by Jay Kyle Petersen. I FINALLY have an intersex ebook on my cabinets!
When I arrived at Edinburgh Books, I puzzled if it was truly closed. A jiffy after the official opening time, I used to be only a bit early. The proprietor rushed in, unlocking the door and flipping on the lights and turning on the radio in a single movement. This store of previous books made Armchair really feel fashionable. It was so stuffed with character and quirk. Old books aren’t fairly my factor, however I nonetheless grabbed a ebook of Scottish songs.
Golden Hare was a trek as much as New Town from the residence close to Arthur’s Seat. It was a cute little retailer with a small, however mighty choice. The bookseller was a delight. I grabbed Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder edited by Saundra Mitchell and Wain: LGBT Reimaginings of Scottish Folklore by Rachel Plummer.
Near Blackwell’s on South Bridge was a comic book ebook retailer known as Forbidden Planet. There was one thing so comforting about this store as a result of it’s precisely like some other comedian ebook store I’ve ever seen. Same books, similar plushies and FUNKO Pops, similar nerds. I purchased the primary two volumes of Birthright in addition to Crush and Lobo.
One Day. Three Stores.
Since I used to be working my day job remotely, I might solely go to at least one retailer on most days. August 20 was a Saturday, so I had my sights set on three shops on the opposite facet of city. Topping & Company was first and wow, was it spectacular. Obviously in-built some previous mansion, it was stuffed with nice new books in each conceivable style. I steered away from the uncommon bookcase to take dwelling Black Water Sister by Zen Cho and God, I Feel Modern Tonight by Catherine Cohen, each signed.
A little methods off I discovered Typewronger Books and McNaughton Books. They’re technically totally different shops, however linked. Typewronger is all new books and previous typewriters. When I paid for Prompts by Tawnya Selene Renelle and A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers, the bookseller supplied to stamp the books and included just a little origami dragon. McNaughton’s was one other previous bookstore. I nonetheless managed to search out Summoned by Bells by John Betjeman and The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith.
Portobello, Waterstone’s, and a Mistake
Since August 21 was a Sunday, just a few castmates and I took just a little journey as much as Portobello, a cute seaside suburb of Edinburgh. I put my ft within the water, had brunch close to the seashore, and I dragged them to The Portobello Bookshop. This store is mid-size and SO NICE. I used to be amazed that such a small neighborhood had such an excellent store. Elektra by Jennifer Saint and At Least This I Know by Andres N. Ordorica got here dwelling with me.
On my very own later that day, I made a decision to make the trek to a bookstore known as Cornerstone. It was a little bit of a hike to the opposite facet of Edinburgh Castle from the place I used to be staying, however I used to be feeling adventurous. This is the place I failed in my Google looking out. Cornerstone is within the basement of a church, and it’s all Christian books. If that’s your factor, cool. It’s not mine. Fortunately, Waterstone’s was on the way in which again. Yes, it’s one other company bookstore, nevertheless it’s a bookstore. I felt higher in regards to the journey after grabbing Blue Horses by Mary Oliver and My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson.
John Kay’s, Transreal, and COVID
Sitting proper on Victoria Street (a giant vacationer lure) is John Kay’s Store. It was a bit disappointing. This tiny store has books, certain, however they’re squarely geared toward vacationers. Children’s books primarily based on Scotland, journals, and Scottish recipe books dominate. I did seize a reasonably journal and a ebook of winter cocktails, however nothing else.
Transreal Fiction was the final store on my checklist, a retailer with unusual hours and solely promoting sci-fi and fantasy. After visiting Rosalyn Chapel, I walked to it from the bus cease. The choice was disappointing, however I nonetheless discovered The Half Life of Valery Ok by Natasha Pulley.
All of that introduced us to closing night time of our present, during which our lead (and banjo participant and co-writer of the present) examined optimistic for COVID-19, ending our run one night time early. After flying dwelling, I, too, examined optimistic. That wasn’t enjoyable.
That stated, I managed to make it dwelling with 28 new or new-to-me books and a litany of tales to inform. That was a variety of enjoyable, and I nonetheless have most of them to learn.
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