Today we started the new school year. I love homeschooling (especially the planning… implementation is always tough), but recently discovered my dream alternate career. If I weren’t married with six kids to homeschool, I would want to follow in the footsteps of Madeleine Stern and Leona Rosenberg.
Earlier this month I read the memoir Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion. Madeleine and Leona were friends who met in college and ended up in business together, the business of buying and selling rare books. They shared a home and office and co-authored many books, along with writing other books and articles. Several aspects of their lives were right up my alley.
As antiquarian book dealers, Madeleine and Leona hunted down rare books in European shops and dusty basements. Their description of Finger-spitzengefühl (“fingertip feeling”) — the instinctive sensation when they came upon a valuable book — made me long for a similar experience. I loved reading about the humble beginnings of their business and the process of putting together their first book catalogues. I could imagine the thrill of selling their books to just the right person or university collection.
Similar to the research and sleuthing necessary to excel as rare book dealers, was the process of research they engaged in to write their own books. The biggest discovery they made was that Louisa May Alcott wrote “blood and thunder” stories under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard. Tracking down Alcott’s pseudonymous and anonymous stories in periodicals must have been thrilling, not to mention seeing their discoveries in print after all their hard work.
Part of the work of buying and selling books was traveling regularly to Europe and wandering through all sorts of bookshops. Sounds like an adventure to me!
Last but not least, I loved reading about Madeleine and Leona’s friendship. I think it’s lovely that some people have a lifelong platonic friendship, living and working together for decades. How special to find someone who shares your passion and run a business with them.
I’m not looking for a new job and I certainly don’t have the knowledge or expertise to become a book dealer, but I sure enjoyed this memoir. Maybe someday when my kids are grown I’ll work with books or manuscripts in some capacity. For now I’ll scratch that itch by reading.
I want to get hold of this book! Someday when the time is right, Margaret, you’ll find a way to deal in old books.
Yes, I hope you’ll be able to scratch that itch in an exciting new way, at another season in your life.
I enjoy your pictures and comments. I thought your dream career would be to hop on an old tractor and ride off into the sunset. lol Grandpa