The Open Road

Despite my recent acquisition of a kindle, I still buy quite a lot of books.  Not having the money to buy them first-hand and squeaky clean, I often go to charity shops and second-hand bookshops.  Not only are they cheaper but you can also find books that are no longer in print, and often really lovely editions of things.  Plus, I have a slight prejudice against WH Smith’s ever since a snotty shop assistant kicked me out for reading too much of a book without paying for it.

One of my favourite second hand bookshops, The Open Road, is located at the crossroads in Stoke-by-Nayland, a small village in the Suffolk countryside.  Owned and run by (my) ex-teacher and poet David Charleston, it sells books from a range of different genres from art and music to nature and history, although mainly specialising in fiction and poetry.  All books are in good condition, competitively priced and displayed well.

As well as the books, there are events in the shop.  There have been exhibitions of sculpture, photography, collage and paintings, readings by poets and novelists and performances by musicians.  Mark Mason, who writes for The Spectator, has given a talk about his book ‘Walk the Lines’ where he describes walking the London Underground, but over ground.  Terence Blacker has performed music from his latest album.  I myself attended a reading by Ros Barber of her new book The Marlowe Papers, in which she has created a novel in verse, exploring the theory that Marlowe was the mastermind behind Shakespeare’s work.

If you’re ever passing through Suffolk I recommend dropping in.  It really is a lovely place – although I may be slightly biased as whenever I go, I get a cup of tea, a chat and a good book at a slightly discounted price.

More information about The Open Road.