ONCE UPON A TOME: THE MISADVENTURES OF A RARE BOOKSELLER with Oliver Darkshire (Virtual)
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March 30 • 12:00 pm
$5.00
Considered a Literary Hub and BookPage Most Anticipated Book of 2023, Once Upon a Tome is the colorful story of life in one of the world’s oldest bookshops, Henry Sotheran Ltd (est. 1761).
In his new book Oliver Darkshire describes Sotheran’s brushes with history (Dickens, the Titanic), its joyous disorganization, and the unspoken rules of its gleefully old-fashioned staff, whose mere glance may cause the computer to burst into flames. Darkshire shares trivia about ancient editions and explores the strange space that books occupy in our lives—where old books often have strong sentimental value, but rarely a commercial one.
Once Upon a Tome is love letter to the benign, unruly world of antiquarian bookselling, where to be uncommon or strange is the best possible compliment.
Virtual: $5 non-members and members. REGISTER HERE.
Copies of Once Upon a Tome are available for purchase through the Mark Twain Store; proceeds benefit The Mark Twain House & Museum. Books will be shipped after the event. We regret that we are NOT able to ship books outside the United States as it is cost-prohibitive to do so.
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About the Author: Oliver Darkshire (@DeathByBadger) is an antiquarian bookseller at Henry Sotheran Ltd, and the voice of @Sotherans twitter account. He lives in Manchester, England, with his husband and his neglectfully curated collection of books.
About the Moderator: Emily Bartram is the School Programs Coordinator at The Mark Twain House & Museum.
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Programs at The Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from CT Humanities; the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts; Ensworth Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee; the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign; The Hartford; The Mark Twain Foundation; The National Endowment for the Humanities; and Travelers.