Counterintuitive? … Improvisational?… Situational!

I’ve spent the past three years attempting, with occasional comedic results, to find a younger apprentice who might become a full partner and ultimately take over ownership and operation of Ten Pound Island Book Co. In this way, everything I’ve worked to accomplish over the past five decades – specifically my “good name” such as it is, my national and international friendships and connections within the trade, and my A List of institutions and advanced collectors – would not evaporate upon my demise. Furthermore, such a move would prevent my stock from being sold for pennies on the dollar when I croak.

I admit to having failed in this endeavor. Now what to do? I mean, I’m not getting any younger.

The answer came from an unexpected quarter. The family of a deceased book dealer was looking to sell the dead man’s stock. The books looked interesting. Not irresistible, but pretty darned good at the right price. I might be on the far side of my career, but I’m still a book dealer, and I’m still wired to buy.

I made an offer. The offer was accepted. I rented a truck, a shipping container, and a couple of young fellows. The rest is history, or about to become history. Another chapter in the waggly saga of Ten Pound Island Book Co.

The first paragraph of this chapter is Maritime List 350 – a representative sample of this new material, which I’ll be sending out with this blog post. (Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten my maritime roots!)

You might say it was a counterintuitive move. Or maybe improvisational, which is more in keeping with how I’ve managed to wind my way through the past 79 years.

But I’d prefer to elevate the concept. Now that the season is upon us, the morons on Moron Sports Talk Radio talk a lot about “situational football.”

This is situational book dealing.