THE CHISHOLM TRAIL BOOKSTORE
RARE, USED, FINE
BOOKS TO DELIGHT THE EYE AND MIND
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THE WORLD OF BOOKS

Greetings from the wonderful world of books. You have entered another world, mysterious and exciting -- from turbulent waters of adventure and intrigue to calm pools of serenity in poetry and prose; from literature to history; from engineering and mathematics to sociology and psychology. It's all here in the world of books, many smaller and larger worlds, many sparkling facets, many contrasting viewpoints.

I don't think there is anything more satisfying than curling up with a good book. Computers don't replace it; computers can't replace it. There is something about the stark black text on age-toned paper. There is something about the cloth-cover binding. There is something about ability to peruse at one's leisure or to quickly scan a page while seeking information.

I own a bookstore because I like books and I like reading. I haven't read all the books you see here, merely a fraction of them. Many I selected through the years because I thought others would enjoy them. Nonfiction, to me, is vastly more interesting than fiction, and so I stock mostly nonfiction, although you will see a smattering of literature and science fiction. I invite you to find what you enjoy reading.

Come and enjoy the world from the inside of a book. A book is a fine invitation -- the finest invitation you will ever receive.

January 25, 2006

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BOOK STOCK

Through the years, I have been asked why I don't carry a particular author or title in this bookstore. There are several reasons that booksellers don't carry all books and I'm going to discuss them here.
  • More titles are published than available space in a bookstore. In 1455, Johann Gutenberg printed the first book using movable type, the Mazarin Bible, better known as the Gutenberg Bible. According to BookWire as cited by ParaPublishing Book Industry Statistics, the number of books published in a given year is 120,000 in the United States. Now, although 120,000 titles were not printed in 1455, there are still 551 years represented in the publishing industry. This time period covers a large number of books and titles. It also explains why the bookseller may know neither author nor title when mentioned by a patron.

  • The books in question may not fit the bookseller's area of expertise. Many booksellers have a field of expertise. I market nonfiction tomes published in the last 50 years with emphasis on university press, art catalogues, and technical books. Such a narrowing of the field allows the bookseller to concentrate and present books more knowledgeably. It, too, explains why the bookseller may know neither title nor author outside the field when mentioned by a patron.

  • The bookseller may not wish to carry a particular book. For whatever reason, the bookseller may choose not to sell certain books, although the books fit the the bookstore. It is a personal preference.
Although this explanation has been short, I hope it has provided some insight into bookselling from the bookseller's view.

January 31, 2006

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§§§§§
lynn wienck, seller of unusual books
send mail to: ctbooks@starcomm.net
february 13, 2006
© 2006 the chisholm trail bookstore