La librería encantada

Por Christopher Morley y Juan Cárdenas

 
Los entrañables Roger y Helen Mifflin han dejado de recorrer los campos y pueblos con su librería ambulante y se han instalado en pleno Brooklyn, como siempre soñara Roger. Ambos regentan La Librería Encantada, un "parnaso en casa" al que acuden, de un lado a otro de Nueva York, todo tipo de personajes singulares, incluidos jóvenes publicistas, farmacéuticos alemanes y guapísimas herederas; por no hablar de sus amigos libreros, que se reúnen allí cada poco para disfrutar la tarta de chocolate de Helen y los discursos incendiarios, y a la vez llenos de sensatez, del pequeño gran Roger.
"Un homenaje a la especie en extinción de los libreros. Roger Mifflin, librero por vocación y obsesión, es como un médico que diagnostica las necesidades de lectura que tiene la gente y les receta el libro que más le conviene a su alma y quizá a su cuerpo."
José Luis de Juan, El País
 

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: Editorial Periférica
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 16 abr 2020
• ISBN: 9788418264436

Christopher Morley

Christopher Morley (1890-1957) was an American journalist, poet, and novelist. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, he was the son of mathematics professor Frank Morley and violinist Lillian Janet Bird. In 1900, Christopher moved with his parents to Baltimore, returning to Pennsylvania in 1906 to attend Haverford College. Upon graduating as valedictorian in 1910, he went to Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship to study modern history. While in England, he published The Eighth Sin (1912), a volume of poems. After three years, he moved to New York, found work as a publicist and publisher’s reader at Doubleday, and married Helen Booth Fairchild. After moving his family to Philadelphia, Morley worked as an editor for Ladies’ Home Journal and then as a reporter for the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger. In 1920, Morley moved one final time to Roslyn Estates in Nassau County, Long Island, commuting to the city for work as an editor of the Saturday Review of Literature. A gifted humorist, poet, and storyteller, Morley wrote over one hundred novels and collections of essays and poetry in his lifetime. Kitty Foyle (1939), a controversial novel exploring the intersection of class and marriage, was adapted into a 1940 film starring Ginger Rogers, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.

Vista previa del libro

CAPÍTULO I

LA LIBRERÍA ENCANTADA

Si alguna vez viajáis a Brooklyn, ese barrio con soberbias puestas de sol y magníficas estampas de cochecitos de bebé propulsados por diligentes maridos, es muy probable que tengáis ocasión de dar con una callejuela tranquila donde hay una librería formidable.

Dicha librería, que desempeña sus funciones bajo el inusual lema de «El Parnaso en casa», está ubicada en una de esas confortables y antiguas construcciones de piedra marrón que han hecho las delicias de generaciones de fontaneros y cucarachas. El propietario se ha visto en mil apuros para remodelar la casa, a fin de adecuarla al negocio, que comercia exclusivamente con libros de segunda mano. No existe en el mundo una librería de segunda mano más digna de respeto.

Eran casi las seis de una fría tarde de noviembre, con rachas de viento que azotaban el pavimento.

---

Un joven caminaba con paso indeciso por Gissing Street, deteniéndose de vez en cuando para mirar los escaparates como si no tuviera muy claro adónde ir. Delante de las cálidas y relumbrantes vitrinas de una rôtisserie francesa, el joven se puso a comparar el número grabado en el portal con una nota que llevaba en la mano. Luego continuó andando durante unos minutos hasta que llegó a la dirección que buscaba. El letrero sobre la entrada llamó de inmediato su atención:

el PARNASO EN CASA

R. & H. MIFFLIN

¡BIENVENIDO, AMANTE DE LOS LIBROS!

ESTA LIBRERÍA ESTÁ ENCANTADA

Bajó a trompicones los tres peldaños que conducían a la morada de las musas, se acomodó el cuello del abrigo y miró a su alrededor.

Era un sitio muy distinto a todas aquellas librerías que solía mirar desde fuera con cierto desdén. Dos plantas de la vieja casa se habían transformado en una sola: el espacio de abajo estaba dividido en dos pequeños nichos; arriba, una estantería llena de libros cubría el muro entero hasta el techo. El aire era denso por la deliciosa fragancia del papel añejo y el cuero mezclada con el recio bouquet del tabaco. Entonces se halló frente a un gran anuncio enmarcado:

***

ESTA LIBRERÍA ESTÁ ENCANTADA

por los espectros de tanta gran

literatura como hay en cada metro de estantería.

No vendemos baratijas, aquí somos sinceros.

Amantes de los libros: seréis bienvenidos

y ningún dependiente os hablará al oído.

¡Fumad cuanto queráis, pero usad el cenicero!

Busque, amigo, busque cuanto guste,

pues bien claros están los precios.

Y si quiere preguntar algo, hallará al dueño donde

el humo del tabaco se torne más espeso.

Compramos libros en efectivo.

Tenemos eso que usted busca,

aunque usted no sepa aún cuánto lo necesita.

---

La malnutrición del órgano lector es una enfermedad seria.

Permítanos prescribirle un remedio.

R. & H. MIFFLIN

propietarios.

***

La tienda tenía una cálida y confortable oscuridad, una especie de suave penumbra interrumpida aquí y allá por conos de luz amarillenta provenientes de bombillas eléctricas cubiertas con pantallas verdes. Había una omnipresente nube de humo que se retorcía y dilataba al pie de las lámparas de cristal. Al pasar por un estrecho corredor entre los dos salones, el visitante notó que algunos de los compartimentos se hallaban totalmente a oscuras; en otros rincones donde sí había lámparas vio mesas y algunas sillas. En una esquina, bajo un letrero que decía ENSAYO, un caballero ya mayor, iluminado por el suave brillo de una bombilla eléctrica y con una expresión de éxtasis y fanatismo dibujada en el rostro, leía. Pero no había ni una sola bocanada de humo a su alrededor, así que el recién llegado concluyó que no se trataba del propietario.

A medida que el joven se acercaba a la trastienda, el efecto general que le producía aquel lugar se hacía más y más fantástico. En algún tejado remoto se escuchaba el tamborileo de la lluvia. Por lo demás, el silencio era total, habitado solamente (o eso parecía al menos) por las obsesivas espirales de humo y el animado perfil del lector de ensayos. Aquello parecía un templo secreto, un lugar destinado a extraños rituales. La garganta del joven parecía constreñida por la mezcla de agitación y tabaco. Sobre su cabeza se alzaban las torres de estanterías, más oscuras a medida que se acercaban al techo. Vio una mesa con un rollo de papel amarillento y una cinta, con los que evidentemente se envolvían los libros. Pero no había señales del dependiente.

«En efecto, este lugar podría estar encantado quizás por el encantador espíritu de Sir Walter Raleigh, patrono de los fumadores, pero no por la presencia de sus propietarios, según parece», pensó.

Mientras buscaba entre los rincones vaporosos y azules de la tienda, sus ojos repararon en un círculo lustroso que emitía un extraño brillo, similar al de un huevo. Era algo redondo y blanco que brillaba bajo el resplandor de una lámpara colgante, una isla resplandeciente en medio de aquel turbio océano de humo. El joven se acercó y descubrió que se trataba de una cabeza calva.

Aquella cabeza, comprendió entonces, era el remate de un hombre bajito y de ojos penetrantes, bien recostado sobre el respaldo de una silla giratoria, en una esquina que parecía ser el centro neurálgico de aquel establecimiento. El enorme escritorio estaba cubierto por montículos de libros de todas clases, junto a latas de tabaco, recortes de periódicos y cartas. Una vieja máquina de escribir, que tenía un cierto aire de clavicordio, se hallaba medio enterrada bajo las hojas de un manuscrito. El hombrecito calvo fumaba su pipa y leía un libro de cocina.

«Disculpe», dijo el visitante, con voz agradable, «¿es usted el propietario?»

El señor Roger Mifflin, el propietario del Parnaso en casa, levantó la mirada y el visitante vio que aquel hombre tenía unos ojos azules rebosantes de entusiasmo, una barba roja bien recortada y un convincente aire de originalidad.

«Soy yo», dijo el señor Mifflin. «¿Qué puedo hacer por usted?»

«Me llamo Aubrey Gilbert», dijo el joven. «Represento a la Agencia de Publicidad Materia Gris. Me gustaría hablar con usted sobre las ventajas de poner en nuestras manos la publicidad de su negocio: podemos preparar un anuncio con gancho y publicarlo en medios de gran difusión. Ahora que ha terminado la guerra, debería poner en marcha una campaña constructiva para expandir su negocio.»

El rostro del librero se iluminó con una sonrisa. Dejó su libro de cocina sobre el escritorio, expulsó una larga bocanada de humo y miró al joven con alegría.

«Querido amigo», dijo, «yo no hago publicidad.»

«¡Imposible!», gritó el otro, como quien se horroriza ante un gesto gratuito de indecencia.

«No en el sentido que usted le da a la palabra. Por suerte para mí, de esos asuntos se encargan los publicistas más versátiles de todo el gremio.»

«Supongo que se refiere a Whitewash & Gilt», dijo el señor Gilbert con gesto pensativo.

«En absoluto. Los que se encargan de mi publicidad son Stevenson, Browning, Conrad y cía.»

«No me diga», dijo el agente de Materia Gris.

«Nunca había oído hablar de esa agencia. Aun así, dudo que sus anuncios tengan más gancho que los nuestros.»

«Me parece que no me ha entendido. Quiero decir que la publicidad la hacen los propios libros que vendo. Si vendo a alguien un libro de Stevenson o de Conrad, un libro que lo aterra o lo deleita, ese hombre y ese libro se convierten en mi publicidad viviente.»

«Pero ese tipo de publicidad boca a boca está totalmente obsoleta», dijo Gilbert. «Así no se puede conseguir difusión. Debe hacer prevalecer su marca ante el público.»

«¡Por los huesos de Tauchnitz!», gritó Mifflin.

«Dígame una cosa, ¿iría usted a ver a un doctor, un especialista en medicina, para decirle que debería anunciarse en diarios o revistas? La publicidad de un doctor son los cuerpos que cura. Mi negocio se anuncia gracias a las mentes que consigo estimular. Y déjeme decirle que el negocio de los libros es muy distinto a otros. La gente no sabe que quiere los libros. Usted, por ejemplo. Basta con mirarlo un instante para darse cuenta de que su mente padece una tremenda carencia de libros y, sin embargo, ahí sigue, dichosamente ignorante. La gente no va a ver a un librero hasta que un serio accidente mental o una enfermedad los hace tomar conciencia del peligro. Entonces vienen aquí. Hacer publicidad sería más o menos tan útil como decirle a alguien sano que vaya al médico. ¿Sabe por qué la gente lee ahora muchos más libros que antes? Porque la terrible catástrofe de la guerra les ha hecho ver que sus mentes están enfermas. El mundo entero estaba padeciendo toda clase de fiebres, desórdenes y enfermedades mentales y no lo sabía. Ahora nuestras angustias se han vuelto demasiado evidentes. Todos leemos con hambre y ansia, intentando comprender, una vez que han terminado los problemas, qué les sucede a nuestras mentes.»

El pequeño librero se había levantado de su silla y el visitante lo miraba con una mezcla de perplejidad y regocijo.

«Por supuesto», dijo Mifflin, «el hecho de que usted haya creído que valía la pena venir hasta aquí me produce interés. Refuerza mi convicción en el esplendoroso futuro que le aguarda al negocio de los libros. Sin embargo, le diré que ese futuro no reside meramente en sistematizarlo como un negocio. Reside más bien en dignificarlo como una profesión. De nada vale mofarse del público porque desea libros de mala calidad, baratijas y engañifas.

¡Médico, cúrate a ti mismo! Que el librero aprenda a conocer y apreciar los buenos libros; sólo así podrá enseñar al cliente. El apetito por las buenas lecturas está más generalizado y es más persistente de lo que usted podría imaginarse, aunque todavía de una manera inconsciente. La gente necesita de los libros, pero no lo sabe. Generalmente las personas no saben que los libros que necesitan ya existen.»

«¿Y por qué no dárselos a conocer a través de la publicidad?», preguntó el joven de manera bastante aguda.

«Querido amigo, comprendo el valor de la publicidad. Pero en mi caso sería inútil. No soy un negociante de mercancías, sino un especialista en ajustar cada libro a una necesidad humana. Entre nosotros: no existe tal cosa como un ‘buen libro’, en un sentido abstracto. Un libro es ‘bueno’ sólo cuando encuentra un apetito humano o refuta un error. Un libro que para mí es bueno a usted podría parecerle una porquería. Mi gran placer es prescribir libros para todos los pacientes que vengan hasta aquí deseosos de contarme sus síntomas. Algunas personas han permitido que sus facultades lectoras hayan decaído tanto que lo único que puedo hacer es colgarles un letrero que diga Post Mortem. Aun así, muchos tienen todavía la posibilidad de recibir tratamiento. No hay nadie más agradecido que un hombre a quien le has recomendado el libro que su alma necesitaba sin saberlo. Ninguna publicidad sobre la faz de la tierra es tan potente como la gratitud de ese cliente.» Continuó: «Y le daré otra razón por la cual no hago publicidad. En estos días, en los que todo el mundo quiere imponer su marca, como usted dice, no hacer publicidad es la cosa más original y deslumbrante que se puede hacer para llamar la atención. El hecho de que yo no haga publicidad fue lo que le trajo hasta aquí. Y todo aquel que viene a la librería cree haberla descubierto por sí mismo. Después, esa persona va y habla a sus amigos sobre este asilo libresco atendido por un chiflado y una lunática; y con el tiempo esos amigos acaban viniendo para ver de qué va todo esto».

«A mí me gustaría volver en algún momento y curiosear un poco», dijo el agente publicitario. «Me gustaría que usted me recomendara algún libro.»

«Lo primero que se necesita es adquirir cierto sentido de la piedad. El mundo lleva 450 años imprimiendo libros y la pólvora sigue teniendo mayor circulación. ¡Da igual! La tinta del impresor es más explosiva: acabará ganando. Sí, tengo aquí unos pocos de eso que podríamos llamar buenos libros. Porque ha de saber que sólo hay unos treinta mil libros realmente importantes en el mundo. Supongo que cerca de cinco mil fueron escritos en inglés y otros cinco mil han sido traducidos ya a nuestra lengua.»

«¿Abre por las tardes?»

«Hasta las diez en punto. Muchos de mis mejores clientes son de los que se pasan el día entero en su trabajo y sólo pueden visitar las librerías de noche. He de decirle que los auténticos amantes de los libros son, por lo general, miembros de las clases más humildes. Un hombre apasionado por los libros tiene muy poco tiempo o paciencia para hacerse rico urdiendo estratagemas para timar a los demás.»

La pequeña calva del librero brilló bajo la luz de la bombilla que colgaba sobre la mesa. Sus ojos eran serios y brillantes, su barba roja y bien recortada se erizaba como un alambre. Llevaba una astrosa chaqueta marrón estilo Norfolk a la que le faltaban dos botones.

«Un poco fanático», pensó el visitante, «pero muy entretenido.» «Muy bien, señor», dijo en voz alta, «encantado de conocerlo. Vendré en otra ocasión. Buenas noches.» Y desanduvo el pasillo en dirección a la puerta. Cuando ya estaba cerca de la salida, el señor Mifflin encendió un reflector que colgaba del cielorraso, de modo que el joven se halló de pronto frente a un enorme tablero repleto de notas, anuncios, circulares y pequeñas anotaciones escritas en tarjetas con una letra muy esmerada. Una de ellas llamó su atención:

R

Si su mente necesita fósforo pruebe con Trivia,

de Logan Pearsall Smith.

Si su mente necesita una bocanada de aire fresco, azul

y purificador desde las colinas y los valles de prímulas,

pruebe La historia de mi corazón, de Richard Jefferies.

Si su mente necesita un tónico de hierro y vino

y una historia estremecedora de principio a fin

pruebe los Cuadernos de Samuel Butler

o El hombre que fue jueves de Chesterton.

Si necesita «algo más irlandés», y desea solazarse

irresponsablemente en la rareza humana, pruebe

Los semidioses, de James Stephens. Es mejor

de lo que uno espera o merece.

Es bueno darle un vuelco total a la mente y luego,

como un reloj de arena, dejar que las partículas

caigan en la otra dirección.

Alguien que ame la lengua inglesa puede divertirse

a lo grande con un diccionario de latín.

ROGER MIFFLIN

Los seres humanos prestan muy poca atención a lo que se les dice a menos que ya sepan algo al respecto. El joven no había oído hablar de ninguno de estos libros prescritos por el especialista en biblioterapia.

Estaba a punto de abrir la puerta cuando Mifflin apareció a su lado.

«Verá usted», dijo con cierto pudor, «me ha interesado mucho nuestra charla. Esta noche estoy solo, mi mujer se fue de vacaciones. ¿Le gustaría quedarse a cenar conmigo? Justo estaba buscando algunas recetas nuevas cuando entró usted.»

El joven se mostró sorprendido, y no menos encantado, con aquella invitación tan inusual.

«Vaya, es usted muy amable», dijo. «No me gustaría causarle ninguna molestia.»

«¡Todo lo contrario, amigo!», gritó el librero. «Detesto comer solo y tenía la esperanza de que apareciera alguien. Procuro tener invitados para la cena cuando mi esposa no está en casa. Debo quedarme, como ve, para cuidar del negocio. No tenemos servicio, así que estoy obligado a cocinar. La verdad: me divierto mucho. Ahora, encienda usted su pipa y póngase cómodo durante unos minutos mientras preparo la cena. Haga como que ha vuelto a mi guarida.»

En una mesa de libros, a la entrada de la tienda, Mifflin dejó un letrero que decía:

PROPIETARIO CENANDO.

SI DESEA ALGO, HÁGALA SONAR

Junto al letrero puso una vieja campana y luego condujo al joven publicista hasta la trastienda.

Detrás de la pequeña oficina en la que aquel extraño comerciante había estado revisando sus libros de cocina, una estrecha escalera conducía a la galería superior. Justo detrás, unos pocos peldaños se abrían a las dependencias domésticas del inmueble. El visitante siguió a Mifflin hasta un pequeño salón, a la izquierda, calentado por las brasas que ardían bajo la antigua chimenea de mármol amarillento. Encima de la repisa había una colección de ennegrecidas pipas y una lata de tabaco. En la pared, un lienzo de gran tamaño representaba con enfáticos óleos una aparatosa caravana azul tirada por un robusto animal blanco; un caballo, evidentemente. El suntuoso escenario del fondo resaltaba la poderosa técnica del pintor.

Las paredes estaban atestadas de libros. Dos sillas cómodas y algo destartaladas fueron arrastradas hasta la rejilla de hierro de la chimenea. Un terrier de color mostaza se hallaba echado tan cerca de las brasas que un ligero olor a pelo chamuscado se dejaba sentir en el ambiente.

«Éste es mi gabinete», dijo el anfitrión. «Mi capilla para el sosiego. Quítese el abrigo y póngase cómodo.»

«De verdad», insistió Gilbert, «no quiero molestarlo con…»

«¡Tonterías! Ahora siéntese y encomiende su alma a la Providencia y a la cocina. Voy a ponerme manos a la obra con la cena.»

Gilbert sacó su pipa y, lleno de júbilo, se preparó para disfrutar de una velada inusual.

Se trataba de un hombre joven con buenas cualidades, amable y sensible. Era consciente de sus limitaciones en asuntos literarios, pues había ido a una excelente universidad donde los clubes de juerguistas y las funciones de teatro le habían dejado muy poco tiempo para leer. Aun así, se consideraba un amante de los buenos libros, pese a que, por lo general, los conocía de oídas. Tenía veinticinco años y ya era empleado de la Agencia de Publicidad Materia Gris.

El pequeño salón en el que se hallaba era simple y llanamente el santuario del librero, el lugar que albergaba su biblioteca privada. Gilbert miró con curiosidad las estanterías. Casi todos los volúmenes estaban magullados, envejecidos. Evidentemente habían sido elegidos, uno por uno, en humildes cajones de segunda mano. Todos revelaban las marcas del uso y la meditación.

El señor Gilbert tenía esa seria obsesión por la autosuperación que ha cegado las vidas de tantos jóvenes –una pasión que, no obstante, es recomendable para quienes se sienten frustrados por una carrera universitaria y el ostentoso emblema de una fraternidad–. De repente se le ocurrió que resultaría provechoso hacer una lista de algunos de los títulos de la colección de Mifflin, como guía para sus propias lecturas. Sacó una libreta de notas y empezó a anotar los libros que lo intrigaban:

Las obras de Francis Thompson (3 vols.)

Historia social del tabaco: Apperson

El camino a Roma: Hilaire Belloc

El libro del té: Kakuzo

Pensamientos alegres: F. C. Burnand

Plegarias y meditaciones del Doctor Johnson

Margaret Ogilvy: J. M. Barrie

Confesiones de un matón: Taylor

Catálogo general de Oxford University Press

La guerra de la mañana: C. E. Montague

El espíritu del hombre: editado por Robert Bridges

El centeno romaní: Borrow

Poemas: Emily Dickinson

Poemas: George Herbert

La casa de las telarañas: George Gissing

En ésas estaba, y justo empezaba a pensar que, por el bien de la publicidad (que es una amante celosa), más le valía dejar allí la lista, cuando su anfitrión entró en el salón con gesto ansioso, los ojos como dos bolas de luz azul.

«Venga, señor Gilbert», dijo en voz alta. «La cena está servida. ¿Quiere lavarse las manos antes de pasar a

Comentarios para La librería encantada

[madamejeanie · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was a little book I found at B&N, in the Bargain rack. Who couldresist a title like that? LOL This book was written in 1919 and has beenrepublished with it's original woodcarving illustrations. The writing styleand illustrations make it a real treat.This is the story of a week in the lives of the owners of the Parnassus AtHome Second-hand Bookshop, in Brooklyn, Roger and Helen Mifflin. RogerMifflin is a well-written character whose love of books is what his wholelife is all about. He likes to tell people that his shop is haunted by thespirits of great authors, and it's possible he's right. There surely aresome interesting "spirits" in this book. There's the Corn Cob Club, amotley group of booksellers and enthusiasts who gather weekly at Parnassusto expound on philosophy and literature. There's Aubrey Gilbert, theenterprising young advertising copywriter who's hot to gain Mifflin as a newclient for his company; Weintraub, the druggist at the pharmacy across thestreet; Helen, the understanding and indulgent matron of the bookshop; andTitania Chapman, daughter of privilege who comes to clerk for Mifflinbecause her father wants to instill a love of good literature in her beforeshe heads out into the world. And then there's the mystery of thedisappearing volume of Carlyle's "Letters and Speeches of OliverCromwell"......Early in the book, Aubrey remarks that he would think that life in abookshop would be delightfully tranquil, to which Roger replies:"Far from it! Living in a bookshop is like living in a warehouse ofexplosives. Those shelves are ranked with the most furious combustibles inthe world -- the brains of men! I can spend a rainy afternoon reading, andmy mind works itself up to such a passion and anxiety over mortal problemsas almost unmans me. It is terribly nerve-wracking. Surround a man withCarlyle, Emerson, Thoreau, Chesterton, Shaw, Nietzsche, and George Ade --would you wonder at his getting excited? What would happen to a cat if shehad to live in a room tapestried with catnip? She would go crazy!"That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?I was pleased with this slim book. It's a quick read and written in a stylethat you seldom find available in a new volume. Nothing earth shattering,and the "mystery" was pretty easy to solve fairly early on (about midbookfor me), but it was a satisfying read. More like an order of wings asoppose to Sunday dinner. I'd rate it a strong 4.

[kewing_12 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

A curious little mystery centered on a used book store in Brooklyn at the end of World War I, with a erudite and somewhat effete bibliophile store owner, an obnoxious but smitten advertising man, a naive object of affection, and some German spies plotting to kill Wilson en route to armistice talks. The novel is primarily a vehicle to allow Christopher Morley to provide a commentary about the value of good books. This short novel is available on Project Gutenberg, but who can read a novel online?

[knittingfreak · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I read The Haunted Bookshop in a couple sittings over the course of a weekend. It was written in 1918 by Christopher Morley and is set in Brooklyn, New York just after the end of WWI. The book is about Roger Mifflin, a secondhand bookstore owner, who has lofty ideals regarding the book trade. In fact, he believes that it's not a profession, but rather a calling. He also adheres to the school of thought in which it's believed that booksellers and librarians have a responsibility to put only the best literature into the hands of the people. This is a debate that was prevalent in the country during the early part of the century when the book was written. Today, of course, most librarians and booksellers simply attempt to give people what they want to read. But, I'm sure there are still some out there who would like to prescribe the appropriate reading material for the unknowing public. The shop described in this book is old and dusty -- full of stacks of books and tobacco smoke. Roger doesn't have a cash register and is happy when people come in to browse the shelves and end up reading for hours even if they don't ever purchase anything. The important thing is that they're reading 'good' books. Like most people who aren't familiar with this book, I assumed by the title that the bookshop was haunted. However, the title refers to the fact that the shop is"haunted by the ghosts of the books I [Roger] haven't read. Poor uneasy spirits, they walk and walk around me. There's only one way to lay the ghost of a book, and that is to read it."The book is full of literary references -- authors, book titles, and quotes abound. There is however a mystery to be solved in the story, which includes a German pharmacist (remember WWI just ended). However, in the end the book is meant to be read and enjoyed as a book about books.

[extrajoker · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

first line: "If you are ever in Brooklyn, that borough of superb sunsets and magnificent vistas of husband-propelled baby-carriages, it is to be hoped you may chance upon a quiet by-street where there is a very remarkable bookshop."A sequel to Parnassus on Wheels, The Haunted Bookshop may be read independently. (I know, because I read and enjoyed it before I'd even heard of its antecedent.) This panegyric to books and booksellers (in the guise of a suspenseful mystery) has numerous wonderful quotes for bibliophiles. For example:"Malnutrition of the reading faculty is a serious thing.Let us prescribe for you."Funny. Charming. Literary.

[zmrzlina_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Oh, I enjoyed this book so much. A bit stodgy in places, but considering the time in which it was written, I suppose that is to be expected. There is a good deal about the tension involved in bookselling. Do you sell what the public wants, though it may be drivel? Or sell what you think the public needs? It may seem an obvious answer since it would be seriously presumptous to make decisions about proper reading material for others. However, the protagonist of this story, Mr. Mifflin, does put forth a good argument for presumption.There are other tidbits that I found myself nodding in agreement with, though this book was written just after the turn of the 20th century, right after WW I.

[morley4me · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This was one of my most favorite books when I live in Brooklyn NY. It made me think of OLD NY and all the books I still need to read--if I only seek them out!

[osbaldistone · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Interesting for any book (or bookshop) lover. A fun read, but a mediocre mystery. Loaded with stereotypes, but forgivable for the time period.The story of a used bookshop in Brooklyn at the very end of WWI, and strange incidents that befall a young ad salesman who befriends the shop owners. This is the sequel to "Parnassus on Wheels", but it stands on its own pretty well.

[literaryfeline · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

If ever there was a book meant for booklovers, especially one who enjoys a mystery, a touch of romance and eccentric characters, this is it. Christopher Morley’s The Haunted Bookshop was a pleasure to read.The Haunted Bookshop is actually the sequel to another of Christopher Morley’s novels, one called Parnassus on Wheels. I have yet to lay my hands on a copy of that particular book, sad to say. Having not read the previous book, I had no trouble following along or getting to know the characters. This is very much a stand-alone novel, however.Roger Mifflin is an eccentric bookseller who owns and runs Parnassus At Home, otherwise known as the Haunted Bookshop. One day while Roger is running the shop alone, his wife off on an adventure in Boston, an advertising salesman wanders into the store and makes a pitch hoping to land a new account. Aubrey Gilbert is young and eager, but Roger is adamant that he does just fine with the word of mouth advertising his loyal customers provide him. Just the same, the two strike up a friendship.The bookseller and his wife Helen had previously agreed to take in a nineteen-year-old girl at the request of her wealthy father. Mr. Chapman fears his daughter has taken in too many frivolous ideas, and he believes she is in need of a serious reality check. He thinks that working and living at the second hand bookshop is just what the young woman needs. Titania is a delightful and lovely young woman who turns many heads and yet is friendly and eager to begin this new enterprise.Just before Titania’s arrival, a man comes to the shop looking for a particular book that Roger is sure he once had on his shelf. The book, however, is missing. When the book reappears later on, Roger couldn’t be more puzzled. Thus begins a mystery full of danger and intrigue. Aubrey is determined to uncover whatever nefarious plot there may be, fearing that the beautiful Titania may be at the greatest risk.I was most taken in by Roger Mifflin and his obvious love for books as well as his job. While he is a bit of a book snob, it was hard to hold that against a man who understands the hold a book can have on a reader. Although not a prominent character, Helen is definitely a presence in the book. She is down to earth and sensible while Titania is sprightly in her youth. It is really Aubrey who carries the forward motion of the story, however, ever tenacious in his pursuits.Christopher Morley has written a charming novel that is full of humor, while at the same time it is quite exciting. Set at the end of World War I, talk of peace and the politics of the war place this book more firmly in history as do the events that unfold with each turned page. I definitely plan to continue in my search for a copy of the prequel to this novel and perhaps venture onto some of the authors other writings. It was a pleasure to spend time with him and his characters.

[trav_14 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This was an enjoyable book. It's very "classic", in that American Movie Classics Channel Jimmy Stewart kind of way. Everyone is soooo polite and proper. Everyone blushes and women drop their handkerchiefs.The whole WWII-era spy plot is a bit flat. True, I was always wondering what was going on, but I almost didn't care, that's not what kept me turning the pages. The few spots of book talk made it worthwhile for me. There's a part where the owner of the Haunted Bookshop (which has no ghosts what-so-ever) meets with all the other crusty educated book-ish types around a roaring fire with their pipes and some toddies. They call themselves the Corn Cob Club and the topics of bookselling and reading were great. The copy I have was printed in 1919, but some of the same language and "concerns of the bookseller" are exactly what you read in any current essay by Epstein or Fadiman. I guess some things never change.There was one part where a gentleman was describing the beauty of a young lady:"Titania's face, shining with young vitality, seemed to him more 'attention compelling' than any ten-point Caslon type-arrangement he had ever seen. He admired the layout of her face...""Just enough 'whitespace,'" he thought, "to set off her eyes as the 'centre of interest.' Her features aren't this modern bold-face stuff, set solid," he said to himself, thinking typographically. "They're rather French old-stle italic, slightly leaded. Set on 22-point body, I guess."How cool is that?I think I'd like to hang-out with more people that "think typographically".So this was a fun book for those who devour anything bookish. But if you're looking for a true WWII spy thriller this isn't it.

[jbd1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

More memorable for its musings on bookselling than for its plot, but definitely worth reading.

[dulcinea14-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Delightful sequel to Parnassus on Wheels, which I also loved. A must read for bibliophiles.

[slmr4242 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Good, but I liked the previous book more. The mystery aspect of this felt somewhat contrived.

[reverendmoon-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A very fun, easy-going, action-oriented novel. Setting in early 1900s Brooklyn, just after WWI. The era becomes apparent at a certain point after the reader learns of the "villain" as being a German spy. Read in the present light of the 21st century, it's almost comical. However, it was a pleasant and lighthearted read about a lovely bookshop/ bookshop owner that one could not help but love.

[rmckeown_9 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

After books about English Professors and literature – or perhaps before, it is an extremely close race – I love novels set in bookstores. Christopher Morley has an especially warm place in my heart, since he is a Philadelphia native and a journalist to boot. Novels by former newspaper people are a close third on my list.Morley’s second novel, The Haunted Bookshop, starts out as a whimsical tale of Roger Mifflin, an eccentric owner and operator of the shop. An interesting cast of characters haunts the shop. Set in about 1919, the prose, attitudes, and viewpoints of the characters might seem a bit dated. I felt the faint glow of O. Henry who died in 1910. While Morley does not have a clever twist at the end, the story does take a radical turn on the last few pages.One day, Aubrey Gilbert stops by the shop and proposes an advertising campaign to increase sales. Roger will have none of it. He claims, “The people who are doing my advertising are Stevenson, Browning, Conrad, and Company” (7). Thus begins a cascade of literary references, which tempted me beyond all reason to catalog. Once I started, I could not stop, and ended up with six pages, single-spaced of authors and works, much to the amazement of my book club. Some mentioned items were well-known, others not so much, but only a few escaped my research. This makes a daunting and most interesting reading list.Aubrey persists without making any headway, but coincidentally, he does write ad copy for a Mr. Chapman, CEO of Dantybits Company, who also happens to frequent the shop. Mr. Chapman has a daughter fresh out of “finishing school,” and he wants her to have some real-life experiences. Roger agrees, and the young lady moves into the attic.A peculiar set of booksellers – known as the “Corn Cob Club” -- also meet at the shop. Mostly they decry the pitfalls and misfortunes of the bookselling business, as well as the theory and practice of stocking such a shop.I have “haunted” many a shop like Roger Mifflin’s in my life, and I recognized the characters, the complaints, and the dusty shelves. On one occasion, Roger is called to a noted bookseller in Philadelphia to appraise his collection. The trip to the City of Brotherly Love turns out to be a fake, thus setting in motion the bizarre turn the story makes. With some hours to spare before his return train to Brooklyn, Roger walks down Market Street to visit, Leary’s Bookshop, on 9 South 9th Street. Leary’s operated for nearly 100 years at that location. It closed in 1969, and was known as the oldest bookshop in America. I spent so many fond afternoons in Leary’s I could not recount them all. I happened to visit the day they announced the closing. I stood on the sidewalk with tears streaming as though I had lost a great, good friend. Indeed, I had.The copy I have is print-on-demand, and the editing and layout are atrocious. If you order this quaint book, make sure a publisher is listed in the description. The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley will provide hours of fun – and not all of them actually reading – for anyone interested in books and literature. 5 stars.--Jim, 1/30/15

[circlestonesbooks · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

„That’s why I call this place the Haunted Bookshop. Haunted by the ghosts of the books I haven’t read.” (Original quotation pos. 1251)

Content:
The main protagonists of Parnassus on Wheels, Roger Mifflin and Helen McGill, now are married and own a second-hand bookstore in Brooklyn. Roger Mifflin loves books and he definitely loves the art of bookselling. When Aubrey Gilbert, a young advertising agent visits the shop, he too fells under the spell of the books – and under the spell of Miss Titania Chapman, the new apprentice. Then some strange things happen – a special book Carlyle's Oliver Cromwell, is missing, back the next day and missing again – is this bookstore really haunted?

Theme and genre:
This novel, published in 1919 as a sequel to Parnassus on Wheels, again is a story about books, readers, writers and literature. Again, there is also room for romantic, love and not only love for books and a mystic crime.

Characters:
Roger and Helen are charming and likeable, as well as Titania and the sometimes a little bit clumsy Aubrey.

Plot and writing:
The setting, Brooklyn just after the end of WWI, is described in a very vivid way, which makes this book an enjoyable, interesting read. A humorous authorial narrator tells the story, and the events that happen to our protagonists are unsettling but funny too.

Conclusion:
A book that every booklover will enjoy, but also for readers who like a good story located in a bookstore.

[jonfaith · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Long ago I fell back on books as the only permanent consolers. They are the one stainless and unimpeachable achievement of the human race. It saddens me to think that I shall have to die with thousands of books unread that would have given me noble and unblemished happiness.

Scott Esposito made a shocking confession a few years ago on Coversational Reading: he didn't go to used book stores. He bought used books exclusively online. I was and remain shocked. Julian Barnes noted once with typical eloquence in The Guardian that the internet has certainly solved the dilemma of The Collector, but what it has obscured is the clumsy accidents in the stacks which change our lives.

I picked this up at a sale a few years back. My attentions were drawn to such because of a GR list about numerous texts cited within, including Burton's Anatomy. Well, not only is Anatomy of Melancholy referenced, it is inspires the protagonist and the novel three-quarters of the way through. This can be read a well crafted potboiler about 1919 Brooklyn. it is also an alert about what is slipping from view. The Haunted Bookshop was selected as a diversion on day ravaged by sinus issues. It s call is greater than that. It is an affirmation of our nerdy treks.

[rickklaw · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

One of the best novels about life in a bookstore. Almost everything that Morley wrote in 1917 about the bookseller's life holds true today.

[mrslee_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

When you step inside The Haunted Bookshop, you will not find the latest sensational novels, for it is haunted by the likes of Sir Walter Raleigh, Thomas Carlyle and Samuel Butler, not to mention thousands of other authors the owner deems "worthy." The proprietor, Roger Mifflin, has decided opinions on books, which he is happy to share with anyone and everyone. The author saw fit to add friends and wife who are not reluctant to point out when his opinions go a bit far, which keeps the novel from reading like a sermon.This story, is not only about wonderful books and terrific quotable quotes about books, it also has a fun romantic adventure which puts me in mind of the early "talkies." An enjoyable romp.

[mrs_mcgreevy · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

The anarchist bombing plot is merely a diversion from the magical world of The Haunted Bookshop, it's owner, and it's patrons. Any book lover will find treasure here, but the true gold is saved for booksellers. Read it through once, then remind yourself it was written in 1918.

[murderbydeath · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

Oh how I didn't like this book. I should have DNF'd it, but it was called The Haunted Bookshop! I'd have thought it impossible for any book with that title to be so disappointing. Where to start... the characters - the two main characters - are each in their own way incredibly irritating. Roger Mifflin, the bookshop owner, constantly reminded me of Walter Mitty: living in his own dreamworld with grandiose ideas about the power of literature. Just about every time he opens his mouth, it's to deliver a long ultimately irritating panegyric on the fantastical powers of books. I love books and I believe the world would be a much better place if everybody read more, but Mifflin takes this idea too far and the result makes him look foolish. Aubrey Gilbert, on the other hand, is actually foolish. An idiot really. He spends the book either spouting off sales rhetoric that sounds like an Amway pitch or flying off half-cocked chasing dust-devils and flinging about insane accusations. Remember the Dick Van Dyke Show? Gilbert is like Dick Van Dyke only without rational thought or a sense of humour. The plot... sigh... the plot was good, what there was of it. Sadly it only accounted for about 1/10th of the book itself. The audiobook I listened to was 6 hours long and I swear if you edited out everything not directly related to the plot itself it would run less than 20 minutes. Tops. The narrator did a good job, although he sounded so much like Leonard Nimoy I kept picturing Spock reading to me, except I'm pretty sure even Spock would have lost patience with the book after a couple of hours. The best part of this experience? This was a library loan and it didn't cost me anything but the time I spent listening to it and the energy I spent yelling at my car's audio telling Mifflin to shut up already. Ah well, moving on.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Don't remember it too well. Pretty much agree with the reviews, good and bad. That is to say, it was corny, and charming. It had insightful meditations, and a contrived plot. It deserves to be beloved by many readers, and it's only going to be appreciated by a minority.

[jannes_16 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Part essay on books, reading, and culture, part mediocre spy thriller. All weird. Is this a classic? I feel as if I'm missing something.

[unclebob53703 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A friend of mine who borrowed this and read it called it "quaint" and I guess it is, being of a long lost and more genteel time. I bought it because the title had promise, and was not disappointed. The love of books is at its center, and the rest is some diverting window dressing about romance and bad guys. It is a sequel of sorts to Parnassus on Wheels, but you don't have to know the first book to enjoy this one. This is a lovely illustrated edition.

[wenbuno · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Loved this librivox audiobook. It had all the ingredients, was fast moving and appeals to anybibliophile because of the bookshop setting.

[abigailadams26 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

A sequel to Christopher Morley's charming Parnassus on Wheels, this novel finds Roger and Helen Mifflin running a second-hand bookstore in Brooklyn, NY. Here, at Parnassus at Home, the newly married couple find themselves playing chaperone to lovely society-girl Titania, the admiring Aubrey, and a host of other quirky characters.While I did not find it as entertaining as its predecessor, and thought that some of the plot elements were a little far-fetched, The Haunted Bookshop had enough charm of its own that I was not sorry to read it. I could have cared less about the espionage, but the bookstore itself - now that's another matter.

[bongo_x_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Charming is the word that comes to mind. It’s a light, slightly corny book from 1919 (?) that has the feel of a late 30’s movie. The whole thing is a love letter to books and reading, wrapped in a simple story of post WWI espionage.

I disagree with someone here that said a drawback was the constant current cultural references. I love that stuff. You usually get so little of it as it does date a book and authors want their books to be timeless. I think it affects the way we look at the past. As mostly only the more serious and timeless of books make it down to us through the years we miss a lot of the little things that were a part of people’s everyday lives. I found many of the most interesting parts of this book to be the little tidbits of the culture and habits of the characters, like when you look at old pictures and are interested in the things in the room in the background.

I’m going to have to give it 4 stars, even though it seems a 3 star book to me. Charming.

[9cee9 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A book to delight booklovers! How many who have read this book want to time-travel to Brooklyn and hunt for this early 20th century used bookstore? Count me as one. The plot is a somewhat preposterous mystery, but the commentary throughout is priceless! The characters are humorously entertaining. Roger Mifflin, the lovable and chatty bookseller, dreams of elevating the status of bookseller to a highly honorable profession. He is passionate about books and strives to become a renown pioneer in spreading the knowledge of great books to the common man! His mission is to bring the love of reading to the world. What avid reader cannot identify with his rambling musing? "Did you ever notice how books track you down and hunt you out? They follow you like the hound in Francis Thompson's poem. They know their quarry! ... [they] follow you and follow you and drive you into a corner and MAKE you read [them] ... Words can't describe the cunning of some books. You'll think you've shaken them off your trail, and then one day some innocent-looking customer will pop in and begin to talk, and you'll know he's an unconscious agent of book-destiny... That's why I call this place the Haunted Bookshop. Haunted by the ghosts of books I haven't read."This sequel to "Parnassus on Wheels" is a worthy follow-up, but could be read strictly on its own. Highly recommended for fun!

[deckla_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is an amusing tale. The characters are somewhat hapless, but all ends well. I can see why Morley involved himself in the theater; this would make a fine drawing room comedy (although of course it would require more locations).

[booksfordinner · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Originally published in 1919, this is a great winter read for dark snowy nights and a glass of port. For book lovers and book sellers only.

[bragan_8 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This short novel from 1919 is a sequel to Morley's Parnassus on Wheels, but it's not entirely necessary to have read that one first. It does feature the characters from the first book, who have now settled down and started their own bookstore in Brooklyn, but ends up focusing a bit more on a young man who shows up to try to sell them advertising and ends up hanging around for various reasons, most of which involve their attractive new shop assistant.So, there's a bit of romance, which is amusingly written (although the complete lack of depth on the part of the female half of the pairing is a little disappointing). There's also a sort of mystery plot, involving a book that keeps mysteriously disappearing and reappearing, which is reasonably entertaining, although not exactly too difficult to figure out. But mostly the appeal of this book is in the often very droll writing style, and in bookseller Roger Mifflin's amusing, passionate, entirely charming ramblings about books and the noble bookseller's calling. (Admittedly, you probably have to be a certain kind of book person to be charmed by them, but I most definitely am.) There are also some extremely poignant thoughts about the recently-ended WWI and the hope for peace in the world -- which are made all the more poignant by the fact that neither Mifflin nor Morley could have known what was to come in the next few decades, but I, looking back from the future, do.