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Smiling Shelves

Books Make the Best Souvenirs

7/14/2015

10 Comments

 
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I have spent the past couple of weeks on vacation. We took a road trip over to the East Coast and hit a few of the big cities there - including New York City. Which just happens to include the famed Strand bookstore. I have heard many tantalizing things about the Strand, so it was high on my list of places to visit in NYC. Let me tell you, it lives up to the hype.
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Since we were on a road trip and I didn't have to worry about fitting any books I bought into a suitcase in order to fly home, I allowed myself free rein. It didn't take long before the books started piling up (which is why I call my husband the Enabler, since he offered to hold the stack while I went back for more). This is what I ended up coming home with - and trust me, it could have been more:
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The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (I hear this book is good.)
Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk (This has been on my to-read list for awhile. I don't think I've ever read a book about Istanbul. . .)
Frederica by Georgette Heyer (Because she is one of my all-time favorite authors)
The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope (I'm slowly collecting his Barchester series. This one means I'm 4/6 of the way there.)
Five Little Peppers & How They Grew by Margaret Sidney (I loved this book as a kid. About time to reread it!)
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand (One from my Classics Club list that I need to read someday.)
The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America by Russell Shorto (Okay, technically this wasn't a Strand purchase. I bought this one at the New York Public Library. Still counts as a book souvenir, though!)
New York Diaries by Teresa Carpenter (Real diary entries spanning 400 years of New York history. Doesn't that sound like a great way to get to know a place?)
A Walk Through Wales by Anthony Bailey (Wales is a neglected country. What better way to remedy that than reading about it?)
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein (I can't wait to read this one!!!)
Slipping into Paradise: Why I Live in New Zealand by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (New Zealand is definitely on my list of places to visit. I figured this book would be a good start.)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (Even though I love Harry Potter, I've never read this book, let alone owned it. Problem solved!)
I also snagged a few book-related items, because who could resist these?
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It was a good thing we headed back to our hotel room right after this. They were pretty heavy! But my hour spent at the Strand was a book lovers' dream. I'm sure I'll be back someday to find even more books to take home!
Since the topic of this post just happens to match the Top Ten Tuesday topic for today, I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish.
10 Comments
Kate @ Mom's Radius link
7/14/2015 12:59:47 am

I just heard about the Strand when I read Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. So cool that you went there. I love book stores, especially used ones. Good haul. :)

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
7/15/2015 07:44:49 am

I read about the Strand a couple of years ago for the first time, and then suddenly it seemed to be mentioned everywhere. It is well worth a visit!

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Krystianna
7/14/2015 07:38:36 am

Ahhh, the Strand! I've always wanted to go there. Moonstone sounds really interesting; I'll have to look that one up on Goodreads.
Krystianna @ <a href="http://downrightdystopian.blogspot.com/2015/07/self-hosting-discussion.html">Downright Dystopian</a>

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
7/15/2015 07:44:02 am

I highly recommend a visit there (just be prepared to walk out with a lot of books)! Moonstone was recommended to me, although I haven't read it yet. I'm happy to pass the recommendation on to you! :)

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Bree @ The Things We Read link
7/14/2015 09:17:42 pm

I love the socks especially the date due ones.

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
7/15/2015 07:42:50 am

I had the cat socks already picked out when I spotted the library ones. Thankfully, my husband let me buy both! :)

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Emily link
7/18/2015 02:29:05 pm

So glad you got to visit Strand! It's one of my very favorite places in the city! :D

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
7/19/2015 10:06:45 am

I think it would be dangerous for me to live too close to it! So many books! :)

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Brona link
7/20/2015 12:48:02 am

The Moonstone IS fabulous...and I LOVE the socks :-)

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
7/20/2015 01:12:50 pm

Glad to hear another vote for The Moonstone! I'm hoping to get to it later this year. And I just couldn't resist the socks! :)

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    My name is Julie, and I own a lot of books. As in, they are stacked on the floor because I've run out of room on the shelves. And those shelves? There are so many books on them that they smile -- not sag; smile. This blog will cover book reviews and all manner of other bookish things.

    You can contact me at julie@smilingshelves.com.

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