Our little trip to the bookstore was such fun! I’ve been to this bookstore before, but gosh, it has to be over 8 years ago. It’s across the Hudson River in the charming town – and I mean charming – of Rhinebeck, NY. The Country Living Fair is in Rhinebeck every year. There’s also a great antiques store there that we love – although we haven’t been there for a couple of years. Anyway, Oblong Books is far better than I remembered, so clearly I didn’t investigate it thoroughly. Maybe I just ran in and out in the past?
It’s an independent bookshop. There is one other Oblong location in a small town to the east. I have to say that this location is wonderful.
When we arrived, we were walking around and quickly realized that they were playing John Prine’s newest album over the speakers. Don LOVES John Prine. And later? The Beatles. Needless to say those music choices made Don a forever fan of this bookshop.
The fiction section was excellent. It reminded me very much of the fiction section in Writer’s Block in Las Vegas. And that’s high praise. The same attention to detail, the same far-ranging choice of stock. Everything interested me. And all along the bookshelves, both in this section and throughout the shop, were handwritten notes about certain books. They were written by the staff. Here’s an example:
I couldn’t agree more, Lisa. This is one of my favorite books ever.
These brief synopses with a personal comment from the staff member are very helpful. Just enough information to help you decide yay or nay.
They have an excellent children’s section, lots of nonfiction, nature, design, reference and cook books. And lots of books about books. They really have everything. Plus, they carry music CDs. I didn’t examine that inventory but I will in the future.
This is a shop where the staff really knows about the books they carry, about as unlike a chain as you can get.
There are chairs scattered around the store and a big sofa, where I found Don looking at three books that interested him. I could have bought scads, of course. We made the decision to buy two books each.
I could have spent hours there, but we were hungry and had to grab a quick healthy lunch to go (at the neighboring natural foods store.) Someday, I’ll go to Rhinebeck and give you a tour. There are great restaurants, a wonderful and well-respected film venue, Upstate Films, that has been there for years, very old buildings and carriage houses, and some really neat shops.
Anyway, I’ve found my ‘local’ bookshop. Huzzah! I put local in quotes, because it takes about 50 minutes or so to get there. North on the thruway, east to the Hudson River, a beautiful bridge crossing over the Hudson, then further east and south to Rhinebeck.
Since we live in the country, nothing is very close, except our local supermarket. It takes at least 30 minutes to get to Barnes & Noble and Target, for example. So it’s all relative. It’s definitely worth the trip for me.
But not too often, because if I see books, I buy books.
It’s going to be 89 today and humid. Tomorrow? 68 and rainy. Strange weather we’re having!
Happy Wednesday.
Sounds like my kind of day!
I look forward to a return visit soon, Linda!
So glad you found a local bookseller. There’s nothing like them. I particularly like chatting with the owners, employees and other customers. I’ll always get a tip about a book or a good place for lunch. I got to 6 bookstores while on the bookstore trail on vacation (I got a button! Lol) and heard about Dutch Girl which is a biography of Audrey Hepburn and WW 2. It’s in my pile and I can’t wait to get to it. Still holding off on Louise Penny as were a number of folks I met in the shops. Funny how alike we all can be.
So interesting that so many of us are holding off – delaying the pleasure – of her newest! Thanks, Deb.
Nice book store. I liked the note from the employee. Almost like talking to a friend about a book. Was the umbrella for collecting money for a cause? I’ve seen that at other stores. You toss coins into them.
I don’t know. I didn’t notice any sign that indicated that was the purpose.
Lovely post, Claudia ♥
Thank you, Brooke!
You now how much I love independent bookstores, too! So, thanks for taking us on a little tour. I was not familiar with John Prine, so I looked for him on Spotify and I’m now listening. Hot and humid here yesterday, today and tomorrow – 90’s with the heat index. I don’t mind at all – it’s another taste of summer, which I was missing. The only thing I don’t like is that this heat and humidity are going to bring some strong thunderstorms.
Yes, it’s definitely well over 90 here in the heat index. I don’t mind it being warmer, but I do mind the insane humidity. We’re getting storms tomorrow and then everything will return to more seasonable weather.
I don’t even mind the insane humidity right now (at 6:15 PM, it’s 82 degrees with 75% humidity) because I know it’s fleeting. And I know what’s right around the corner and I’ll take this kind of weather anytime over what’s in store for us! ;-) This weekend should be back to seasonable weather here, too.
You can’t fight city hall, isn’t that what they say? Winter is on the other side of fall. Sigh.
Thanks for taking us along on your trip to Rhinebeck. Independent bookstores are heaven to me and this one sounds especially good. I do not have your self-control.I’ve started the new Louise Penney and,while I am reading slowly because it will be another year, I am savoring every word.She keeps getting better! xo
She’s such an excellent writer, Annette!
I LOVE book stores, and books, and readers, and writers. Oh, and book reviews. I buy too many books, but there are worse vices….right?
If that’s a vice, so be it! I don’t smoke or drink, so I think buying books is just fine!
Dear Claudia, I caught your “I miss Obama” on the sidebar. I do too, as do so many people who cannot believe that we have such a public liar and unashamed cheat for a president. O for the days when we were inspired by oratory, humility and civic high-mindedness; a president who would sing and dance, a literate president who wrote thoughtful books, a president who said, “You know you’ve made it when Mick Jagger hands you the microphone,” a president who enjoyed getting out of his limo to drink beer from a bottle and eat at a noodle shop with Anthony Bourdain, a president admired and respected by the international community, a president who made us look good!
Don and I were just talking about that. I wish we had a Democratic candidate with his charisma and his compassion and intelligence. They’re all good people, of course, but my goodness, it would make things easier in 2020, wouldn’t it?
I loved this post! thank you.
but then I read every one of yours and enjoy them all. I just don’t always comment.
a lazy reader? that’s me I guess. but nevertheless an APPRECIATIVE one! please know that.
our weatherman has promised no more days in the 100’s. now we will only have them in the 90’s right on through October he said. (we used to have something called Autumn!)
how nice.
LOL.
I’ve given up fighting the weather here. it just is what it is.
rest assured though… pictures where it’s not hot as hades are always welcome! I’m going to check out Rhinebeck! it sounds just heavenly!
Oh, poor you! I know it’s very, very hot there. Just stay cool in your A/C, because what else can you do? xo
I get it; if I see books, I buy books. (It’s why I’m not a great shopper in general; I can’t just window-shop on anything. I did enough of that with my mom, always wanting stuff I couldn’t have when I was a kid. It would leave me feeling deprived and unsatisfied. Not blaming her or my family’s circumstances, but it’s probably quite a psychological study of why then that I overbought as an adult.) And over the years I’ve given away tons of books; sold tons of books. I still have tons of books and my husband is really annoyed with having to move so many boxes of them to storage in this past couple of weeks as we continue to empty the house for home improvements. I have a preference for hardbacks. Sigh.
Oblong had me at the upside-down umbrella in the ceiling. Decorating in my 20s…
Aren’t those staff notes the best?!
Glad you had a nice day; a fun destination. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I donate some of my books to our local library, but I believe you can never have enough books. Books make a home, make a room, and they tell a story. What more can you ask for?
Don and I were talking about adding more shelves in the living room for another bookcase. That got me excited!
Fun! Squeeze in a bookcase wherever you can, that’s my motto. After we paint the living room, we’re installing four floor-to-ceiling cases that I bought on a super-great deal a couple of years ago; it’s going to be SO great to finally be able to organize my books and get those cases out of their shipping boxes (very plain, put-together ‘furniture'[at least they’re wood {unfinished wood which we’ll paint the same as the wall color}] that I’m hoping will look somewhat ‘built in’ once they’re against the wall and flanking the fireplace).
My husband told me that he recently was reading some sort of statistic that people are buying more books than ever. You know what I recently purchased? A dictionary. Not a softcover. My well-worn one was at least 40 years old so I figured I needed an updated one (!). I like to recapture the pleasure of looking at a dictionary or atlas or almanac or encyclopedia volume in my hand rather than running to Wiki or the online Webster. I’m getting kinda militant about it, in fact. (Can sure tell I’m getting old, wanting the ‘old’ ways. Sigh.)
It’s somewhat stunning, though, of how many people don’t have books in the home. I can pick out a couple of neighbors just as I write this. And a cousin. Not even a cookbook.
How lucky you are to have an expanse of wall for four bookcases! We don’t have anything like that here.
With the fall season in the Hudson Valley almost here, I love road trips with a great destination in mind. Time to plan a trip to the Golden Notebook in Woodstock and The Spotted Dog in Hudson. Each town is an adventure on it’s own, great bookstores are the cherry on top
I probably won’t be visiting Hudson this fall, but I love visiting The Golden Notebook. (I’ve spent a lot amount of time in Woodstock, so I don’t go there very often these days.)
i love that bookstore but I would have to drive 3000 miles to go there. I loved that they comment on the books. Very helpful. And I got a real laugh out of the fact that some people apparently think magic is real!!!not that kind of magic, anyway!!!!
Oh yes, that was big news this past week. It’s ridiculous!
Great post, Claudia! I recognise lots of the new hardback titles but many have different covers for example the Elizabeth Gilbert is pink, white and red whilst the latest Thomas Harris is dark blue in the UK. The Louise Penny is identical!
I don’t think anyone has mentioned the jigsaws, I do love a good jigsaw but I have to like the picture illustrated. I buy most of mine second hand from charity shops but every Christmas my brother buys me one which is made in America. They’re covers of The New Yorker magazine which are wonderful.
I’m a bit late posting as I’ve had dinner with my son whose birthday is today, had a nice time but every year we always think back to the tragic events that took place on his 14th one in 2001.
Dee Dee x
Hello from Canada!
Dee Dee, it’s my daughter’s birthday today as well.
I can barely watch the news on this day, so we’re saving the festivities until this weekend.
Take care, Barbara W..
Thank you so much for sharing, Barbara. Enjoy the celebration this weekend and take care too .
Dee Dee x
Happy Birthday to your son, Dee Dee. I imagine it must be bittersweet having a birthday on 9/11.
Sounds like a great bookstore. I love it when personal notes are written about the books. Such a friendly thing to do!
I can’t leave a bookstore without buying books…so I only go when I have time and money to burn. I am running out of room though…need more shelves. Enjoy your evening! ;)
We need more shelves, too! We were just talking about that.
The Oblong sounds heavenly. Glad you and Don found two books each. There is nothing like shopping in a book store. Any time I went into won I would buy a load of books. We have so many and running out of room. I subscribe to the saying you can never have enough books. Enjoy your books.
Marilyn
I will, Marilyn. Thank you!
Sigh 😯. Rheinbeck is also infamous for its 🧶 festival too.
I’ve been there a couple of times. My sister used to come up to stay and we would go together.
it sounds like a dreamy kind of day … the bookstore and the staff notes, some books purchased and music enjoyed, a nice little drive and lunch, all with the love of your life … i am glad for you to have had such a nice day. and that there’s a great independent bookstore not impossibly far away!
i feel the same way … if i go into a bookstore, i will want to get something to read. doesn’t matter how tall my “tbr” piles are!
and hurray on the idea of more bookshelves! mentally, i just went around my place and counted having ten stacks of books here. i really should look for a bookcase.
have a good night!
kathy in iowa
We have several stacks and we definitely need more bookshelves!
What’s an extra 20 minutes driving when you compare a wonderful bookshop to a big-box bookstore. It looks like my kind of place!
Exactly! It’s well worth the drive!
You can never have too many books. Have you read The Testaments yet?
I have never read The Handmaid’s Tale! So, the answer is no.
Thanks, Sandy.