Reflections From a Bookshop Window by Clive Linklater
This is the author’s only published novel. The publisher, Martin Breese, who was a very good friend of mine, tried to encourage Clive Linklater to write more novels, without success. The author steadfastly refused, which is something of a pity. Clive actually owned a second hand bookshop in Hastings and the story is based on a theory he had to double his money each month for a year. This is to be achieved by reinvesting the proceeds from the sale of a book and then selling that book for double the purchase price, or more.
Beginning with £2.50 on Monday 8th October 1990 he buys his first book (in fact an 1889 railway timetable) from a customer who brings it into his shop looking for a sale. He manages to sell it on for £5.00. And so the experiment begins. It culminates on Tuesday 8th October 1991 and what happens in between is both interesting and humorous. If the experiment is successful his initial £2.50 investment could/should be worth in excess of £10,000 in twelve months time. The book is written as a diary entry that takes our bookseller on various adventures around the country, to both buy and sell books, in his efforts to double his investment each month. This is a good, light hearted read which will have many familiar scenarios for the avid book dealer and/or collector.
Reflections From A Bookshop Window is published by Breese Books and is currently out of print but you will find copies on eBay, Amazon and other online second hand sellers such as ABE Books.