June 2025

Don't let this happen to you

For years, Eleanor Barry of Long Island, New York, had collected and hoarded books, newspapers, and magazines. In December of 1997, police were called to the seventy-year-old lady's house by worried neighbors who hadn't seen her in some time. On entering the house they found it filled to overflowing with towers of books from floor to ceiling. The police were forced to break down the bedroom door with an axe because a collapsed pile of books barred their way. Hearing faint cries for help, they finally located Ms. Barry, who had been trapped beneath the enormous weight of fallen books while lying in bed. Unfortunately, she died shortly after being taken to the hospital.

In July of 1978, a bank robber named Jack Drummond was shot and killed after drawing a gun on police during a hold-up attempt in Columbus, Ohio. Further investigation revealed that he was a struggling New York mystery writer who had decided to attempt the robbery as research for his next book. His unfinished manuscript revealed that Drummond, who wrote under the name of George Redder, had written of the possibility of his own demise while attempting the robbery.

Source: Books, by Gerald Donaldson

The Rocky Mountain Book & Paper Fair is coming soon --

you should plan your life around it

For the umpteenth straight year, Printed Page will be trotting our our most interesting and unusual books for the RMBPF at the Castle Rock Fairgrounds, Friday, August 15 from 1-7 pm and Saturday, August 16, from 10 to 4 pm. WE HAVE FREE PASSES FOR YOU!!!

For those two days, the fair offers starry-eyed attendees offerings from 50 booksellers from all over the US and parts of Texas, making it a must-see for every bibliophile.

The fairgrounds are easy to get to. Parking is free, refreshments are available, and kids get in free. What's not to like?

Drop by Printed Page for a free pass, or just give us a call, and we'll send you one. Each pass is good for two people both days.

This month's Puzzler

On May 18, 1872, this famous mathematician and philosopher was born into an aristocratic English family (his paternal grandfather had twice served as Queen Victoria’s Prime Minister). His parents had extremely liberal social and religious beliefs for the time, advocating birth control for women, endorsing an early form of “open” marriage, and asking the philosopher John Stuart Mill—a famous atheist—to serve as their son’s secular godfather.

He was only two when his mother died of diphtheria and four when his father died of bronchitis. He and an older brother were raised and educated by his paternal grandmother and a succession of private tutors. Later in life, he described himself as a lonely boy who found great solace in books and reading. He went on to study at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he eventually taught as well.

One of the 20th century’s most influential figures, he is now remembered for his pioneering work in mathematical logic, his progressive social views, his battles against superstition and religious tyranny, and his advocacy of pacifism and nuclear disarmament. He also wrote many popular books, including "Why I Am Not a Christian" (1927), "The Conquest of Happiness" (1930), and "A History of Western Philosophy" (1945). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950.

Who was this man? (Answer below)

We're going to try something new here. We hope you like it.

One of our booksellers keeps an occasional diary of his time in Printed Page. It documents what it's like to work in a bookstore -- particularly the people who come through the door. We thought we would share some of those diary entries in this newsletter. Let us know if we should share more.

May 7, 2025

The rain today seemed to keep customers away and invite the homeless in at Printed Page Bookshop.

Not long after I opened, Dave came in, dug through a stuffed backpack, and produced a pretty rough copy of a Roald Dahl book.

Dave and I have an arrangement. He brings me books I can't use, I tell him I'm sorry I can't use them, and then I give him money for his trouble. He then asks if he can change his clothes in the bathroom and clean up as much as one can in a sink. I then give Dave a bottle of water and some food if there's any around. He thanks me and leaves. He lives out of his car. Later, when I went in the bathroom, I saw he'd dropped one of those hand-warmer packets. Good thing Spring is here.

Chris is another homeless guy who visits. He speaks with a Southern accent without many teeth getting in the way. He, too, scrounges books hoping to sell them, and today I bought a couple of books from him. Chris is a two-backpack guy. I don't know if he's lucky enough to live out of a car. He's always thankful when I give him something to eat or drink.

Both Dave and Chris refer to having families once in a while, but they never talk much about them.

It's stigmatizing to be homeless. People cross the street to avoid you. They don't make eye contact. They probably consider you either crazy or drugged. Hell, some of them repel me.

But for Dave and Chris, at least, a little simple kindness and respect goes a long way. And on rainy days like this, having a bookstore isn't only about the books.

Puzzler answer

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

Thanks to Dr. Mardy Grothe for the use of his puzzler. Visit him at drmardy.com.

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