Where would you go on a shopping spree?

It is a very easy question to reply. It is a twofold.

First and always on the top of the list is a book shop. But not the ordinary book shop, but one with the soul.

I remember visiting Madrid in 2018 to see my daughter while she was using Erasmus students’ exchange to attend university there for a year. Memorable seven nights of bonding with her and enjoying that beautiful city with many special and highly inspirational places. The first day , as my daughter had the same passion as her dad, she took me to the one special place, the English book shop called, believe it or not, “desperate literature!” From then, it became our meeting place after her university obligations. I was impressed how one relatively small place can be organised to be pleasant and inspirational, tickling curiosity with carefully selected books and some amazing anniversary publications as the one published for 50 years anniversary of establishing  American Abraham Lincoln Brigade which was fighting in Spanish Civil War. The cover you can see below.

I also found a book with Mayakovsky poems translated into English. Like this one:

“Listen!
If stars are lit
It means there is someone who needs it,
It means someone wants them to be,
That someone deems those specks of spit
Magnificent!”

This place reminded me of the similar book shops I visited in Frankfurt, Cologne, Istanbul, Belgrade, Budapest, Nicosia, Berlin, Dresden, London, Cambridge etc… and bought some very precious books. Some of them I read in a day. And those days were beautiful! 

That is why, after cataloguing, I decided to offer some of the books at the following address:

https://philosophyofgoodnews.com/2025/03/07/dusty-books/

So, to summarize.

My, as you called it, “shopping sprees” are always connected with Book Shops with souls.

The second passion I have is with writing instruments and inspirational notebooks. Again, nothing exaggerated, but with soul! How will you recognize the soul in one place like book shop?

Well, I can share how I understand that I am at the right place!

Simple! If I feel goosebumps and if my eyes become wide open, plus if my heart starts to tremble, then I realise that I am at the right place, which has something hidden for me to find. Then I start acting like Indiana Jones, and nearly always, I find the “secret” treasure!

I wish you all the opportunity to find your secret treasure measured by knowledge.

I remain yours sincerely

Darko Richard Lancelot

March 9, 2025

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