Philosophy
“It’s because it’s the canal. Put a few moorhens around and people start remembering that they’re human beings,” says Paddy Screech, the co-owner of Word on the Water, the London Book Barge.
The capital’s only floating second-hand bookshop – which has been open for nine months, travelling between Camden Lock, Angel, Hackney and Paddington – stops for two weeks at each mooring to sell books donated by the public and by charity bookshops.
It is owned by Paddy, “The Doctor”, and his co-partners, John Privett, “The Professor”, and a mysterious Frenchman called “The Captain”.
The French Captain owns the boat, Paddy the Doctor keeps the business running at front of shop, including the necessary wood-chopping for the stove, and John the Professor, who runs a stall in Archway Market called Word on the Street, knows the book trade.
Rolling a cigarette with what he calls his “boater’s hands”, Paddy explains why he began the business: “What we wanted was to have art and music and culture emitting from this boat all the time. In the summer when we’ve got acoustic musicians on the roof, it’s just lovely, and it even works in the rain!”
- Cushy Fall Job...bookstore Sitter
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- Another Bookstore Bites The Dust...the Travel Bookshop
"Give bricks-and-mortar bookselling a future" Faced with the Amazon juggernaut and high rents, bookshops are battling to survive. 'Use them or lose them' is the message by Nik Gorecki August 25th, 2011 guardian.co.uk The...
- Tale Of A Paris Bookstore
"American's bookstore in Paris becomes family affair" Sylvia Whitman gave up her ambitions in order to manage her father's iconic Paris bookstore, stitching together their frayed ties and bringing the shop into the 21st century. by Devorah...
- Borders Bookstores--going Down
"Borders 'store closing' sales attract shoppers" About one-third of Borders bookstores are expected to shut by the end of April, including 21 in Southern California. by Andrea Chang February 21st, 2011 Los Angeles Times Bargain hunters were...
- Mutanabi Street Booksellers--update
Mutanabbi Coalition Darren De La Pena I made reference to the book sellers in December of 2008 [ Mutanabi Street--back and thriving ]. Here is the sad update. "The Vanishing Booksellers of Baghdad" by Nick McDonell March 5th, 2009 Time Mutannabi Street,...
Philosophy
A watery "brick and mortar" used books store
"A bookshop to float your boat"
On board London’s only bookshop barge, Anoosh Chakelian discovers a vibrant alternative world of poetry, music and novel browsing.
by
Anoosh Chakelian
March 6th, 2012
The Telegraph
On board London’s only bookshop barge, Anoosh Chakelian discovers a vibrant alternative world of poetry, music and novel browsing.
by
Anoosh Chakelian
March 6th, 2012
The Telegraph
“It’s because it’s the canal. Put a few moorhens around and people start remembering that they’re human beings,” says Paddy Screech, the co-owner of Word on the Water, the London Book Barge.
The capital’s only floating second-hand bookshop – which has been open for nine months, travelling between Camden Lock, Angel, Hackney and Paddington – stops for two weeks at each mooring to sell books donated by the public and by charity bookshops.
It is owned by Paddy, “The Doctor”, and his co-partners, John Privett, “The Professor”, and a mysterious Frenchman called “The Captain”.
The French Captain owns the boat, Paddy the Doctor keeps the business running at front of shop, including the necessary wood-chopping for the stove, and John the Professor, who runs a stall in Archway Market called Word on the Street, knows the book trade.
Rolling a cigarette with what he calls his “boater’s hands”, Paddy explains why he began the business: “What we wanted was to have art and music and culture emitting from this boat all the time. In the summer when we’ve got acoustic musicians on the roof, it’s just lovely, and it even works in the rain!”
- Cushy Fall Job...bookstore Sitter
"Wanted: Bookstore-sitter. Sell books, feed cats, lodging included" by Carolyn Kellogg August 27th, 2012 Los Angeles Times Ever wanted to run an independent bookstore? Maybe one in picturesque rural Virginia, in October and November? Now's your...
- Another Bookstore Bites The Dust...the Travel Bookshop
"Give bricks-and-mortar bookselling a future" Faced with the Amazon juggernaut and high rents, bookshops are battling to survive. 'Use them or lose them' is the message by Nik Gorecki August 25th, 2011 guardian.co.uk The...
- Tale Of A Paris Bookstore
"American's bookstore in Paris becomes family affair" Sylvia Whitman gave up her ambitions in order to manage her father's iconic Paris bookstore, stitching together their frayed ties and bringing the shop into the 21st century. by Devorah...
- Borders Bookstores--going Down
"Borders 'store closing' sales attract shoppers" About one-third of Borders bookstores are expected to shut by the end of April, including 21 in Southern California. by Andrea Chang February 21st, 2011 Los Angeles Times Bargain hunters were...
- Mutanabi Street Booksellers--update
Mutanabbi Coalition Darren De La Pena I made reference to the book sellers in December of 2008 [ Mutanabi Street--back and thriving ]. Here is the sad update. "The Vanishing Booksellers of Baghdad" by Nick McDonell March 5th, 2009 Time Mutannabi Street,...