Second Impression: Rural Life With a Rare Bookman

by Barbara Kaye

In The Company We Kept Barbara Kaye told the story of how the old established antiquarian book firm of Elkin Mathews survived the war years after evacuation to rural Essex in 1939. Now she carries on the story from 1945 to 1955, when Elkin Mathews expanded and her bibliophile husband, Percy Muir, became increasingly involved in the national and international politics of the antiquarian book trade. It was during this time that the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) was formed and the description of Percy Muir's part in this process provides a fascinating account of an historic event. Percy Muir became president of the ILAB in 1950 and on his retirement from office he was unanimously elected Life President of Honor.

350 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Marc Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful account of life in a small country village in England from 1945 through the middle 1950's. Combine that with a marriage to a well-known rare book dealer who travels throughout Europe on business and you get a first hand glimpse of life after World War II. As a novelist, Ms. Kaye (nee Mrs. Percy Muir) writes in a easy to read style and brings you into her family and their trials, tribulations and jubilations. Definitely worth your time and highly recommended.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read if you want a whole bunch of background on 2oth century antiquarian bookselling.