Carroll and Carroll Booksellers, Stroudsburg, PA

On a recent midweek ski trip that felt like a week instead of three days in the Pocono Mountains, I made a side trip into the beautiful and quaint town of Stroudsburg. It is the type of town that was build by coal, and much of its architecture dates to the beginning of the last century.

On the Main Street in Stroudburg (also Route 611, so it's easy to find), right next to a great Irish Pub called Flood's, is Carroll and Carroll Booksellers. It is run by George and Lisa Carroll, and has a fine collection of used books. Some are rare or first edition moderns, some are just used, and all are well selected.

The shop is large, extending deep into the block, and well lit so that browsing is a pleasure. There is a children's section that includes the average collection of paperback chapter books, but also a beautiful collection of finely bound children's books.

There is a nice selection of modern fiction, and everthing is organized by topic. As I said, the books are well selected, and reasonably priced. I often buy from my instinct, not because I collect certain authors or modern firsts, or books that I think will someday return a profit. I buy merely what I think it would be great to own and read. Or if I've read it, I like it enough to keep it on my shelf. That day at Carroll and Carroll Booksellers I bought a first American edition of Graham Greene's "The Tenth Man," for $8. It was in very fine condition, had a dust jacket in fine condition. It was marked with a small sticker inside with the price and first American edition. Best of all, and what mostly caught my eye when I was checking out the Graham Greene, was it's unusual shape. Taller than most trade paperbacks and definitely taller than an average hardback, the dustjacket was simple and colorful. A nice find indeed.

Linda Carroll, who waited on me ($50 for 6 books, including an only fair copy of "The 20th Century Book of Toasts, circa 1910) was pleasant and explained what types of books she purchases. She went as far as to give me a copy of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Booksellers Directory, which I promptly plotted my next stop by.

I like the Carroll and Carroll Booksellers shop quite a bit because it a fine combination of gently used and fine rare and modern firsts. There seemed to be a very nice selection of women writers and feminist lit, a section I always drift to. Can't wait to get back.

Once Upon a Time...

No self respecting blog about books and bookstores would start out without that beginning.

This is a blog about exactly what its called -- Used and Rare. This is the listing that covers bookstores that sell used and rare books. This may mean that the bookstore in question is a paperback trade-in kind of bookstore, or it could be a low lighting, high end, first editions only kind of bookstore.

The great thing about Used and Rare bookstores is that you never really know until you get there. And that makes for much adventure and fun.

This blog will be a highlight of the Used and Rare bookstores that I visit so that you, the reader, can know whether a bookstore is worth your time. What, worth my time, you ask? If you're a true book lover and bookstore fan, they will all be worth your time.

So let's jump right in....