Two cheesy poems

Not to quibble with the cheese poem, but Claremont also lacks a bookstore, right?

[There are four places where books may be purchased (Huntley Bookstore, Thoreau Bookshop, Rhino Records and the Friends of the Library section of the library) but most Claremonters would say there's no serious bookstore. -- DA]

Oh, yes! I've been to two of those four... Rhino and the Thoreau Bookshop. But still, a nice used/new bookstore, right there in the village... c'mon, Claremont!

To Claremont's credit, there used to be two bookstores in the village... a store on a little side street that's been gone for about ten years, I think, and that used book store on the second floor above the shoe repair place that I was always too intimidated to go into. I think you blogged/columned about the latter when it finally closed. Maybe even in a town with a couple of dozen colleges, book stores just can't make it in this day and age.

[The jewelry store at Yale and 2nd apparently used to be a used bookstore too. You're right, if Claremont can't get or keep a bookstore, that speaks (pardon the pun) volumes about the state of bookselling. -- DA]

Hi David,

What more must the Thoreau Bookstore do to qualify as a "serious" or "nice" used book store? To me it is both of these and more.

Paperbacks are $2 and hardcovers are $4. I always come out with at least 2 books every time I visit. The other day I found a book I have been looking for for about 5 years. Two Saturdays ago, they had an all-day sale where almost every book in the store was just $1. They even have a book booth set up at the Sunday Farmers Market on Second Avenue in downtown Claremont.

For those who don't know, it is located in the Packing House on First Street, west of Indian Hill, behind the wine bar.

Dennis

P.S. In addition, the proceeds go to a good cause.

[They do, and I answered Doug Evans' query in a careful way because this is somewhat of a sensitive issue. Thoreau is a small shop and accepts only donated books, so the selection isn't so hot, but that doesn't mean there aren't good books to be found. When I interviewed B.H. Fairchild, the poet, he said it's a shame Claremont doesn't have a bookstore. That would be the view of some people. And yet there are places to buy books. -- DA]

From swarms of fleas, to the IE’s past
The scope of DA’s blog is vast;
But never did I think we’d see
Fromage-inspired poetry.

So now I wonder, what’s in store?
Free verse about the days of yore?
A sonnet on the MetroLink?
Haiku on where you eat & drink?

And politics should prompt your pen
To script a limerick (or ten) ...

[How about an epic poem about Donahoo's Chicken? -- DA]

Even Huntley Bookstore has its problems. So many students either read and/or buy their academic books on The Internet that many books for my husband's classes are not sold at Huntley. Alas, the state of independent and chain bookstores is seriously threatened. As a lover of "out of print" books, I must admit I like searching on my computer rather than combing the streets.

[If you're looking for specific out-of-print books (the proverbial needle in the haystack), the Internet is a huge boon and a great timesaver. -- DA]

an epic poem about Donahoo's . . . starts like this:

"Sing, O goddess, the anger of Harlan son of Wilbur, that brought countless ills upon the Leghorns. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down Garey, and many a hero did it yield to prey on legs and thighs, for so were the counsels of Foghorn fulfilled from the day on which the son of Donahoo, king of chicken, and great Harlan, first fell out with one another." (with apologies to Homer . . . no, the other one)

Seriously, this poetry throw-down is another "only in Claremont" moment. Every time I read about crime or some other modern intrusion on Claremont and think how much it's changed since I lived there in the '50s and '60s, something like this comes along to reassure me much is still the same.

[Tonight the City Council will discuss relaxing the ban on drive-thrus, another "only in Claremont" moment. Oh, and any epic poem that invokes Harlan Sanders and Foghorn Leghorn is OK in my book. -- DA]

I used to work in and manage a cheese shop called The Cheese Shop and have been waiting with cheese baited breath forever for someone to be smart enough to open up a cheese shop with real cheese. Thanks to Donna for doing this!!! I can't wait! Maybe she will give me a job?

[Can you write a poem about cheese? It might improve your chances. -- DA]

You might enjoy Tasting to Eternity.

The book can be reviewed on the website.

Enjoy

David Nutt