Langport Bookshop News
The books displayed on the two tables are all "new" in-print titles ; on the nearer table are local interest and
a few classic gardening titles by Graham Stuart Thomas, whilst on the further table are a selection of the
beautifully illustrated children's titles which are published by Frances Lincoln, of London. When I opened a quality bookshop here on November 29th 2004, it was only natural that I had some fear and trepidation that this might have been a risky move. Very quickly any slight concerns were laid to rest, from day one I was busy with customers : since then the business has gained very good customer recognition, both for the value as well as the quality of the books held in stock. Langport is a great place to trade : a historic town which will hopefully gain a few other selected niche market traders who will put their roots and energy into further regenerating the commercial sector. I am very positive ; which as friends would say is very unlike 'Mr Grumpy' ! There's a few openings here - better suited to "old hands" rather than "start-ups". Only a small percentage of the excellent value publisher's "bin ends" are displayed on this site : given the fine manner in which Langport shoppers have supported my business, it is only fitting that many titles should be exclusive to "in store" purchasers - perhaps, that's just one further reason for visiting the shop. Trading hours are pretty much always 9.00am until 5.30pm weekdays and Saturday, plus 10.30am until 4.30pm on Sundays. Just to be on the safe side if you are coming any distance it might be wise to check that I will be here - which is 99.9% certain ! Langport is steeped in history and was an important market town even in mediaeval times. The feeling of tranquility, and being at peace with the world, has seen designer craftsmen often settling in the area. Just south of Langport itself is the studio of "potter" John Leach at Muchelney Pottery : in Bow Street, Langport there is the Silver Workshop. Horticultarists worldwide know the name of Kelways Nursery which is based on the edge of Langport. What excellent neighbours : such opportunities. A fellow Cheapside Langport trader is Sue's Pantry - a delicatessen with strong local and regional following which stocks a wide selection of organic products. Keeble Antiques stocks a range of the local Explorer and Landranger Ordnance Survey maps, as well as the Philip's Street Atlas for Somerset, and a large variety of local walking books - including the Pathfinder and Short Walks titles from Jarrold's. The willow industry features strongly on the Somerset Levels : signed copies of "Willow : Paintings and drawings with Somerset Voices" by local artist Kate Lynch, Furlong Fields Publishing 2005, are available at £12.95. A spring 2004 stock purchase from Forbes Library, Northampton, Massachusetts (via a North American bookdealer), is
a 15 volume set of "Somerset Parish Registers : Marriages" : compiled by W. P. W. Phillimore, Douglas Hayward, and
Thomas M Blagg - amongst others - this highly regarded reference work, published by Phillimore & Co., Strand London,
was issued as a 150 copy limited edition set between 1898 and 1915. At present no plans are in place for the books to
be sold, but rather for them to be accessible by visitors who are researching their local family history. Langport Local Information Centre, in conjunction with Langport Area Development Trust - with funding from Local
Heritage, The Countryside Agency, Nationwide, and Heritage Lottery Fund have recently published a "Langport Town
Trail" leaflet which gives details of a suggested walk which visitors can make around the historic market town. Copies of
this free walk leaflet are available "in-store" from Keeble Antiques in Cheapside, and the Langport Local Information
Centre in Bow Street : the leaflet includes much historical information and should help to convey the importance of the
town, in Victorian times, as a major trading and banking centre. As expected "Don't Tell I, Tell 'EE" (£6.99) the Somerset dialect title by Roger Evans (pub Countryside Books) was a best seller : in the week before Christmas "Curious Somerset" (£12.99) by Derrick Warren (pub Sutton Publishing) was launched. The latter title researches over 100 various and unusual buildings, objects and Somerset landscape features - all illustrated : this book was well received. Please see towards bottom of page for details of June 9th book signing by Derrick Warren In the short term corporate merchandisers are determined, by discounting and loss-leading, to try and gain extra market share. This is a very short term approach : corporate bookshops do not stock the "catholic" selection found in many independent stores ; potential customers expect to be able to browse titles before purchasing : serendipity still rules the day. So long as there is public demand for quality bookshops I will enjoy my working day. Local artist James Lynch "stars" in a new beautifully illustrated book of paintings celebrating the west country. This limited edition book ( Skylines, Visionary Paintings of Wessex - priced at £16.50 ) was published late March 2006 ( Furlong Fields Publishing ) signed copies will be available from Keeble Antiques. Since launch, this book has been very popular with visitors and local customers Copies of "Somerton, Ilchester, and Langport in old photographs" collected by Gerald Gosling and Frank Huddy, originally published in 1993 by Alan Sutton Publishing have now arrived at Cheapside. This 2006 reprint is exclusive to Keeble and priced at £12.99 - there has already been substantial interest from "locals" : Curry Rivel, Aller, Hambridge, Huish and Kingsbury Episcopi, Keinton Mandeville and the Charltons also feature (160pp and approx 300 b/w archive photos, mostly half-page).
The publishers recently disposed of their store stock of "Withy, Rush & Reed" by Caroline Bagias (2003). Originally
published at £24.95 : copies are presently available, for a limited period only, from Keeble at a special low price £9.99.
Good news for steam railway buffs is the publication of a new book by Derek Phillips "Yeovil to Taunton, via Martock, Langport West and Durston : footplate memories and personal reminiscences" (Footplate Publishing Ltd, £17.99) Supplies are now available at Keeble : the A4 size trade paperback has 144 pages with 160 b/w photographs. This book is certain to have a very appreciative audience and is a sure-fire local bestseller, as of late Feb 2007 few copies remain unsold. Fuller details on new books page of this website.
In late November 2006 it was decided to stock books from the quality publishing house teNeues including the Stern
Fotografie monographs on photographers e.g. Anton Corbijn, Robert Mapplethorpe, Elliott Erwitt et alia, as well as
photo study books e.g. "Africa" by Michael Poliza : some Collector's Limited Editions will also be stocked. A selection of
the excellent teNeues stationery is also stocked. Selected teNeues trade editions also available from stock
What a great pleasure it was to receive the first copies of "Unimagined, a Muslim boy meets the West" , written by Imran Ahmad and published by Aurum Press at £12.99 (hardback). Using the same background material, the narrative could have been turned into one of those ghastly misery memoirs : thankfully that is not to be . Imran was just one when, in 1963, he arrived here with his Pakistani parents : initially the family lived in a bedsit - better times were ahead, but only thanks to hard work and dedication of purpose. Writen in a very humorous style : interspersed within snapshots of his early life are indications of how important it was for Imran to reconcile Islamic language and culture with everyday life in Britain. There is no pathos, the words flow freely from the page : there is considerable insight within the commentaries : a must read for those in western society who wish to better understand the moderate Islamic approach. Speaking personally, I have read this book three times, and consider that it is a likely surprise bestseller - I'm sure that everyone will be warmed by Imran's sincerity. I would strongly recommend viewing the following BBC article (20-4-07), together with the reader comments ; oh, and Imran also blogs. + + + Hoping to convey the natural beauty and scenery of the Langport area a few images have recently been added. Few days are without incident when you run a bookshop : however, March 30th 2006 was a very memorable day.
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