BOOKMANSHIP
The response to last week’s Books and Tapes eletter may be the best ever. Some books were even sold and more to follow.
The most interesting response came from John Rau, who with his wife Alex own my favorite bookstore (75,000 titles), the Mecosta Book Gallery (http://www.iswara.com/) in Mecosta, MI. It is my favorite even though I have never visited there physically.
John wrote the following. It may have something to teach you or tickle your interest.
Bob, busy as the devil here (what else is new) with all our irons in the fire...
but thought I'd share a bit of "elemental activity" related to your email. Of course, if anyone experiences the "obvious" activity of so-called elementals (whatever the truth might be about them - without the EA we could not even take a breath nor would anything apparent - exist) and their relation to so called synchronicity (Jung's word by borrowed by so many these days) it would be we book people in publishing or sales or simply those who suffer from bibliomania disease. Every day becomes an interesting series of related events and actions within the blend, the milieu of titles, living and dead authors and the works created, physical and mental. Thus.... Wednesday (hail Mercury), for the bookshop resale stock, I passed up buying a copy of Intellect to Intuition in Midland Michigan, but I did buy a copy of The Theory of Celestial Influence in Bay City Michigan and I had my hands on a copy of Destiny Times Six back in Mecosta - also, two of those three books you mention are part of what I call "my 300" (the Astrological section of my Library that I think of as keepers - for reference use). Then of course - this morning - your email....
Out the door now to chase down a few......
John
I discovered John and Alex’s bookstore several months through the Internet and wish I had known about it in 2002 when I walked across the country. I just missed it by a few miles when I wiggled my way across Michigan on secondary highways from Ludington to Port Huron.
Anyway, I found John and his Hermes Bookshelf not long ago and started an occasional correspondence. John and Alex have been in the book business for many years, relocating to Mecosta a few years back. They own a number of buildings on Main Street (Highway 20), keep the doors open for many travelers who stop in to see a “real bookstore,” and surely add a enlightening presence to the town and area. John and Alex are also long and deeply involved with the Theosophical Society (Pasadena) - Co- National Secretaries.
They not only sell books locally and online, but also publish a series of out-of-print texts referenced by HP Blavatsky in her Isis Unveiled and Secret Doctrine: http://www.wizardsbookshelf.com/
Michigan is a long way to travel for a book, but one day I will make the journey to meet the Raus, see their store and peruse their collections. I know you too will be welcome should you make a visit. In the meantime, you might take a cybertrip to their wonderful Old Bookstore.