Bookseller Profile

Abebooks' uniqueness is our network of independent booksellers who work with us to provide the most diverse selection of rare, used and out-of-print books on the Internet. Take a moment and meet our member booksellers from around the globe. It is these sellers, with their experience, commitment and love of the used and out-of-print book business who help all our buyers find that treasure they've been looking for.

How did I get started? After a career in the fire service I wanted to run my own business. I have always loved books and so thought that I might try to make a living at selling them. First I went to a much loved bookshop in South London (The Camberwell Bookshop) and offered to work for them for nothing if they taught me about the trade. They took me on and I worked there for over a year before starting on my own. I worked from home for 3 years before opening the Orpington shop in 1999.

What keeps me doing it? The joy of meeting new books and people, finding out
what little I knew about almost every subject under the sun, the people in the trade are honest, enjoying themselves and want to be in it. Its not the money although my business is doing quite well.

Speciality. I started by specializing in politics and social history. This has changed now and I have a wider range of books to cater for the variety of customers coming into the shop. However, I do like to maintain a large stock of US and British political history and analysis.

Any other collecting? I also collect postcards but have sold many after receiving good offers. Oh yes and I collect hangovers. We have no shop pet.

Most unusual book. I once bought and sold a lovely first edition copy of the diaries of John Evelyn the Elizabethan London diarist and personality. It was bought by an old man who donated it to a leading light at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. There is a lovely story about the book. A very long time after Evelyn died, his diaries were still not published. The person who arranged publication in 1819 visited the Evelyn household where he discovered an old lady making dress patterns from what appeared to be a manuscript. He asked her what she was doing and when told said "Madam please desist. This is a most important document which you are using". The diaries were then published and are recognised as being as important as Pepys in respect of London history and British government, including the Great Fire of London.

I have also sold to the London House of Commons diary a book about the procedure for individual Members of Parliament to get a law passed. When I offered it to them it was accepted on the grounds that the copy they used to have was lost in the fire at the Parliament in 1834.

I love natural history books with good quality illustrations. One of my favourites is the 9 volume Handbook of the Birds of Europe, The Middle East and Africa by Cramp. I have a copy for sale at present. I love it because of the quality pictures and the expert knowledge of the writer.

The views of the author, expressed above, are not necessarily those of the Advanced Book Exchange