295 Years Old - An Opportunity?

Sanquhar Post Office is the oldest working Post Office in the world - Google it and see how many entries there are about it. This year it will clock up 295 years of service.
It's recognised internationally and by the Guinness Book of World Records and I know it's a tourist attraction for people the world over, but do we make the most of it as a marketing tool? How about having freely available stickers in the Post Office for customers to help promote Sanquhar? We could put these on our mail and parcels to show they've been sent from the world's oldest Post Office. It would be nice to have some permanent recognition outside the Post Office too.
In another five years, Sanquhar Post Office will celebrate it's 300th birthday. This could be a huge tourism opportunity - any thoughts anyone?

Back to Blogging!

Now the festive rush is over, here's hoping I can get back to regular blogging.

Mrs Christmas was in the bookshop in December - with Breeze, her Newfoundland, and two of Santa's elves. We had over fifty children - some armed with letters for Santa, most eager to get a peek at Mrs Christmas. The elves were kept busy handing out presents and encouraging one or two shy ones to meet the Mrs and Breeze.

The first photo has been circulated to all UK Police Forces much to the amusement of Mrs Christmas's colleagues - it's hard to tell which uniform suits her better - big thanks to Dumfries & Galloway's finest!

Happy Anniversary UNICEF

December 11 1946 the children's charity, UNICEF was established

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future"
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963), US President

Bridging Frontiers

Helen and Jenny were in the Bookshop on Saturday - it was lovely to see them. They braved the wind and lashing rain to visit and have a good old blether. I want to tell you about these two very positive friends of mine

Both work in the Day Surgery Unit at Ayr Hospital - they work long hours at their day job, but even longer at their passion - helping victims of the earthquake which hit North West Pakistan last October killing 80,000 and leaving millions homeless

Helen and her husband Tahir worked and raised their family in Peshawar the capital of the North West Frontier Province, where Tahir originated. Tahir is a retired Professor of surgery and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Glasgow and Edinburgh and Helen is an experienced nurse.

When Helen heard of the earthquake devastating a part of the world she knew so well, she had to help. She contacted the Pakistan government and went out to Peshawar to see for herself just what help she could give. When she came home to Cumnock, she was determined to set up a burns unit for victims of the earthquake.

Since last October, Helen, Tahir and Jenny have worked tirelessly to find equipment and raise money to make the burns unit a reality.

Helen and Tahir set up Bridging Frontiers, a registered charity - Ayrshire and Arran Health Trust and the fifteen Scottish health boards were contacted and generously donated obsolete equipment. Helen and Jenny have been car-booting, giving talks and hosting meals to raise money.

Last week Merck donated a 40 foot container and helped pack it with the beds, operating tables, equipment and medical supplies needed for the burns unit. £350,000 of medical equipment was crammed into the container which Merck kindly paid to be shipped to Pakistan and the burns unit opens this month at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar

Now that's what I call being positive! Well done Bridging Frontiers!

Of course, this is an ongoing project - the Pakistani government have agreed to pay for staff for the unit, but Bridging Frontiers will continue to maintain equipment and supplies. Support is still needed, especially in the shape of groups sponsoring a piece of equipment. Please contact Helen or Jenny if you can help or want to get involved in any way - click here for details

One year on and nearly two million people are facing another Himalayan winter with no proper shelter

Sanquhar Christmas Fair

The annual Christmas Fair in Sanquhar Town Hall was successful in attracting many visitors yesterday. Local artists and craft workers were there to show and sell their work.

Among those yesterday were Noelle Stevenson, artist and silk painter

Author, artist and photographer Stuart Readman

Local woodturner and poet Bob McVeigh, and artist Barbara Maddox

Cover Stories

What's the difference between a good book jacket and a great one? A good jacket reveals something about the content of the book: it hints at the basic plot, maybe even gives us a glimpse of the main characters. A very good book jacket re-creates the spirit of the book. A great book jacket, however, is so arresting that it makes you pick up the book in the first place . . . full story

Recent Buys

Recent buys of clean used books include
Horse titles - training, riding and caring for horses
Vintage Agatha Christie and other crime novels
Vintage and Modern Poetry

25 Free Downloads

Absolutely free - no purchase needed - enjoy!

Which book will be the bestselling stocking-filler for this Christmas?

Nostalgia is the hot trend this year
They talk of grammar, eccentric measurements and the odd etiquette of yesteryear — and to the surprise of their authors, they have generated millions of pounds and fans by becoming the must-reads of Christmas.
The astonishing success of nostalgic books specialising in bizarre and offbeat subjects has spawned a pocket industry expected to dominate bookshops in coming weeks.
This week a book on Latin has emerged as the latest challenger to the crown claimed by Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss’s surprise literary hit about grammatic pedantry, and Ben Schott’s multi-million selling series of Miscellanies. Despite its niche appeal, Amo, Amas, Amat and All That is already moving towards the upper end of the booksales register by selling upwards of 1,000 copies a week.
Meanwhile other stocking fillers from pamphlets on how a woman should behave in wartime and how gents can push the boundaries of derring-do to the bumper annuals of long-gone comics such as Jackie are lining up as challengers.

Other books trading on longstanding reputations are faring less well, however. Buoyed by its appeal to both young and old a new Doctor Who annual this week knocked The Beano off the No 1 spot for the first time.

Seems just about everyone who has had their 15 minutes of fame has published an autobiography these days - I used to think the 'auto' bit of autobiography meant to do it ones self ... now it seems an interview with a scribe will do, throw in a few old family pics and publish while the 'celebrity' is still basking in their new found limelight - Billie Piper, Kerry KatonaGary Barlow, Russel Brand, Pete Bennett from Big Brother, even Carmen Bin Ladin, Osama's sister-in-law!

My Favourites?
A slip-cased facsimile of the "Broons" annual, published in 1939. Conn Iggulden's The Dangerous Book for Boys, QI, The General Book of Ignorance by Stephen Fry, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett and Ian Rankin's Naming of the Dead

Big Money Prize from Russia
A new Russian national book prize that claims to offer the second largest cash award, after the Nobel, was presented for the first time on Wednesday night to Dmitry Bykov, a prolific journalist, novelist and essayist, for his biography, "Boris Pasternak." The prize — sponsored by the Russian government and backed by Russian oligarchs who made their fortunes in oil, commodities and banking — is known as Bolshaya Kniga, or Big Book, and came with 3 million rubles (£60,000)The Nobel Prize for Literature is worth a whopping £746,000

Bookstart Founder Honoured
Wendy Cooling has been awarded the Eleanor Farjeon award for a life spent promoting children's literature. She ran the Children's Book Foundation and National Chidren's Book Week, and founded Bookstart, a national programme which gives free books to every child in the UK. The Eleanor Farjeon award is given in recognition of an individual's contribution to the world of children's books; recent winners have included the children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson, writers Philip Pullman and Malorie Blackman, and Julia Eccleshare, the Guardian's children's books editor. Yesterday I mentioned Bookstart is to host Gordon Brown's annual Christmas party at 11 Downing Street - recognition of the importance of literature for children