We used to stop into your store back in 2001 (around the Peter period, I think). I am an Anglo (47 then), my wife was Panamanian and we lived in Boquete. I was using a cane at that time. We bought one of your Rott pups – drove a red Kia (I think it was). Anyway – your store was one of the bright spots in what was a rather difficult period for me. I was unable to adapt to the ex-pat lifestyle and ended up having to retreat to the U.S. My wife (who again lives in Boquete – I am in the dreaded state of Texas) sent me your “history” knowing it would interest me. Curious whether you remember us.

my 4 kids and I stopped in to shop during our recent visa renewal trip. we are about to leave panama, and said we’d bring our books to trade. do you have a limit on number of books you’ll take? we have contemporary fiction, classic fiction, and some non-fiction on nature and women’s/parenting issues. we will pass David around the 7th or 8th of august.

This is my first visit to your site. I really enjoyed your history of Bookmark article. I’ll be visiting often.

Thanks for the “History of the Bookmark” because I’m always curious about the human back-story and because it answered dozens of questions I had when we stopped by with Don Ray earlier this year.

I think your visitors would appreciate copies of your article and learning what led to the establishment of a unique English-oriented bookstore in the Panamanian highlands.

I’m here from reading Don Ray’s post on Chirique Chatter. Great article! My husband and I will be moving to Dolega next summer. I’m in the process of downsizing and preparing for our move. My husband and I are avid readers in a variety of genres. I’m wondering what I should do with our book collections. I have lots of travel essays and travel guides, plus dozens of other collections of classics, how-tos, craft books, and other genres…too numerous to mention.

When we lived in Nicaragua, I started a children’s library in a local school and I know the cost of shipping books to Central America. So, we ended up packing suitcases full of books and when someone would come to visit us in Nicaragua, they had to bring a suitcase of our books.

Would you be interested in my book collection? I would be willing to donate many of the books, in exchange for allowing us to trade for books when we move to Dolega. We’re planning a trip to David around Christmas, and I could bring you a suitcase of my books. Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks.

Jeanie and I both love visiting BookMark, chatting with you and looking for books. Finding the place was one of the top ten reasons why we decided to live in the area, and you have always been more than helpful in ordering books that we wanted. We have both been impressed with your knowledge of your books, and of the tastes and desires of your customers. More often than not, if you don’t have exactly what we are looking for, you offer quite helpful suggestions as to alternatives — based not only on the requested book but on your insights, gained over the years, into what we would like.

Dan