Number 6

It is without doubt a very personal list, these things by their nature must be. Yet, 6 years ago the Guardian published an article here by a journalist who listed what he believed to be the 10 best book shops in the world. It is as I've mentioned, a truly variable love and one man's goose...etc. 

The point is that I have now visited the bookshop that stands proudly at number 6 in the list. Scarthin books in the Peak District (Cromford to be exact, geographically!). I had never been before until a few weeks ago. My wife took me, she is aware I have predilection for book shops (of any variety, unless of course, Cheryl Cole opens a shop only selling her books). I have visited very many in my life so far and indeed, I plan to visit an awful lot more in search of the continual bargain that needs to be be bought and brought home with me, as its new owner. 

I have, however, become more disciplined with my book buying. It really has to be something 'exceptional', as oppose to just 'interesting'. Mainly I am constrained by space really. I still have that longed for dream of a room just housing my books, but that is some way off with children, the need to have a room the size of amazon's distribution centre lined with shelves (the small things that stand in the way, so to speak).

Or, the other potential option would be to become a permanent resident at Scarthin books. I am told its previous use, historically was as a blacksmiths. This may explain the small size of the property, although set onto three floors, I can only describe it like I was at 15 years old, thin and tall. It is however, regardless of size made even smaller by essentially being rammed full of the most wonderful selection of second hand, new, antiquarian books on all topics.

Here are a few photos for you to digest visually.

The curve on this shelf may lead you to believe that the aisleway gets terribly narrow as you walk towards it, and yes it would (the aisleway from where I was stood wasn't exactly, spacious, in any sense, particularly not dimensional), yet the reason it is curved is because this is the door to the 'cafe', so much hilarity can ensue while you are crouched looking at say the books on the bottom shelf while someone then proceeds to open the door into your head! (I cannot believe that this has not happened in its 40 years of history). Also unique to note that they do also have a shelf list of where the books are kept, in a semi categorised way, and they do have collections in the cafe. So while Beatrice, the octogenarian is happily applying her dentures to the rather lovely, walnut spiced cake, you could be leaning over her thumbing through 16th Century German poets...

My chair, my library room

The view from the chair, opposite 

Another quite enamouring aspect of the place is that it's not really a shop. It is a building laid out with the floorplan of a house, (again, a prisoner of its history). You therefore have rooms, unlike for instance, the hideous blandness of a, Waterstones or a Borders (The soulless behemoth's who've sucked the life from so many good, independent book sellers). This gives Scarthin a distinctly, 'home' feel. The photo above is of the music/art room. All the books within are exactly as the name suggest, titles on  music and art and as you can see, filed like a normal human being would file them on their shelves at home (Yes, this would in some ways resemble the room I would have in my house, should the opportunity arise, from ceiling to floor!). The idea of having a book selling cramming genres in separate rooms is a great idea, next door to this room is the children's book room, which both Joshua and Grace enjoyed.

Is there a drawback to this place? Yes, frankly there is and that is at times, although it could be argued to be their strength, the vast, almost disordered state of the books, such as the historical section is almost mind bogglingly disturbing for someone who likes a clear cut order. I found it remarkably frustrating trying to find a sense of order. (but I guess that is the point, it's very much a browsing bookshop, like one of my other favourite ones, Jermy Westerman, in Nottingham, another wonderful place off of the beaten track.

If you have the time to check every single shelf then good luck and you'd be doing well, other people will just drown in the amount of books on display! they have tens of thousands of books. It is a homage to the world of books, displayed in book form, within a book shop. It would suck you in as a Bibliophile and not actually need to spit you out as you'd not manage to read a room in a lifetime. Did I buy? of course I did. I found (and I do mean found, more by luck than design), a folio edition of, Theodor Mommsen 'History of Rome'. For the classicists among you, imagine a work as influential as Gibbons 'decline and fall' (yet arguably far more scholarly! It's a beautiful edition, it's a very beautiful book, located in a beautiful bookshop, in a beautiful village that happens to be in a beautiful county.