CLERKENWELL TALES

May I have a word about another bookshop (hot on the heels of my comments on Shakespeare and Company).  The emporium in question is Clerkenwell Tales, located in Exmouth Market and presided over by the omniscient Peter Ho.

I've been there to buy, I've been there to listen to poetry, I've been there to chat.  But mostly to buy.

Last year, around Christmas, my little company invited a gaggle of clients, journalists and other ne'er-do-wells to lunch more or less directly opposite Clerkenwell Tales; accepting our invitation required the guest to buy at least one book in the shop (not that Peter knew anything of this plan until later).  More recently, I find myself wandering in the direction of Exmouth Market claiming to myself that I'm looking for the diversified range of restaurants on show there but in reality wanting to spend a little time among the hard and softbacks.

Clerkenwell Tales is like a dictionary with all the boring or known words taken out.  I consider myself pretty well read but I doubt I've come across more than 10% of the titles and 20% of the authors.  Today, for example, I bought a book on 'Venetian Navigators', the Periodic Table, 'Manhood for Amateurs' (by Chabon) and on Europe - a reprinted classic from Robert Byron.

I suspect Clerkenwell Tales is named after the Peter Ackroyd book of the same name.  If so, that's a pity.   I have no great liking for Ackroyd or his works which I believe are detailed when they should be general and vice versa.

Of the two Peters I'll take Ho over Ackroyd any day.