The BOOKMARK in Dolega

Dover Books has finally, after years of putting me off, offered to arrange a rack of books. Would you all be interested in Dover Books? How about your kids (this is directed at newcomers, and the few oldtimers who have teens and younger ones)? I like lots of the Dover Book titles and can set up a rack that combines both younguns books and their science series (I THINK…we are still at negotiations stage). Stop by with suggestions or ideas. or drop a note to this blog. If I were a clever blogger, I would have included a link to Dover Books, but I just learned how to cut and past…trying to keep ahead of John McCain…so you will have to find the Dover catalog on your own. I do think they would be a helpful addition to the store.

A STORE IS BORN

There seems to be some opinionated ignorance about the purpose and existence of the BookMarK, which could have been clarified if anyone had the courtesy or sense to ask. Thus, (TA DA DRUMROLL) the Birth, Growth, History and Purpose of the humble BookMark, a Used book store in Dolega, Panama…

It was a dark and stormy… no, that’s not right.

In 1998, when my friend Jim MacLeod was dying in Anastasios, he asked me if I would buy his boxed book collection and a dozen revolving book racks, and arrange monthly payments to his widow, as his assets were pretty much gone. I agreed, and after he assured me there were three thousand paperback novels, the entire contents of a book store. he said, in Texas (I should have sent up a red alert at that) I hauled the books and racks to a friend’s house in Dolega, while I looked for a location to sell therm. Several months of false starts, and disappearing contractors, finally led me to the bungalow on the highway in Dolega (three miles from my house in El Frances, and an easy commute with dog). The eleventy- leventh “Ropas Americanas” had just gone out of business there. and I was somewhat discouraged by a family living in the back, but unconnected, part of the building. I borrowed five hundred dollars from a friend, and had some metal shelves made, and made use of the dozen revolving racks, and opened, in September 1999, the BookMark, used books, trade, sell, galosinas, helados, sodas, cafe and banana bread, sometime lemon meringue pie. The swimming pool was open across the road, and life was good…. until I opened all the book boxes and found I had over a thousand Historical Romances, and even more westerns, including complete works of L’Amour, John Jakes, the White Indian series, all of Westward America, and several others whose names I really want to forget. A most uninspiring start. (Except for all 88 novels of John D. MacDonald, which, alas, has diminished sadly). I would go to Costa Rica, scouring the bookstores (there were many more nine years ago) and hit the 12th Street bookstalls in Panama City (again, books were plentiful then) occasionally trying to talk Pa nama booksellers into discounts. Continue reading A History of the BookMark…

Having been put in my place (second-rate, at the best, and certainly not up to the esoteric and intellectual standards of “everything expert” Joyce La Cow on her This is How the World Turns (according to God) blog, I can only humbly comment that, unlike R@R and Man of La Mancha, BookMark is a used bookstore, and intended as a catchall, though we do try to offer good deals occasionally on pre-orders… Our $24.00 Harry Potter is an example, unlike the error in La Joyce’s ego trip blog. Lord, what a pain some people can be, especially those who purport to be intellectually and educationally superior ( a scientist should learn to spell scientific words, I might suggest).

Anyhow, back to reality. The Chris Paolini Eragon set (vol.1 and 2) will be here early next week, so grab yours while you can at 20.00. Our banana books are in, and there is a little of everything there, from recipes to the CIA to the United Fruit Company and Fair Trade.

Looking for Books!

We need used paperback fiction, recent if possible, since 2002. Popular authors we are looking for: Bernard Cornwell, Nelson Demille, Clive Cussler, Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, Randy Wayne White (no more Tampa Burn please), Len Deighton, Ken Follett,……actually EVERYBODY. We are a Used Book Store, after all, not Barnes and Noble, and make no pretensions to be, so pile them on. Maybe if we can’t satisfy Everybody, we can help most of you find what you need