Book Fair done and dusted....

Alice in Wonderland: One of the many wonderful pop up books on display at the fair

If you missed the West Kent Book Fair, held at Tonbridge School on Sunday then you missed a treat, especially if you are a book collector but even if you're not. There were books on display and on sale on every subject imaginable with prices ranging from 20 pence to about £5,000. There were paperbacks, childrens board books, first edition novels, many signed rare books and, my favourite of the day, a huge table covered with the most weird and wonderful pop up books. The fair was well attended by both dealers and serious book collectors and, rather encouragingly, by casual visitors who were curious or just happened to be passing by. The nice weather certainly helped to attract at least 300 people along. Most of the booksellers who exhibited seemed to be going away happy at the end of the day's trading so, with a bit of luck they'll all be back next year. As for me, from an organiser's point of view, I was very pleased with the whole day but it's always good to get it out of the way. It's almost certainly my hardest day's work of the whole year so it was nice to put my feet up yesterday and drink coffee and listen to music all day while my house keeper looked after me. If only! I had to clear up the signs, and books and off load them all into my storage facility and then do my weekly household chores like emptying the bins and cleaning the toilets at home. Oh and then I'd booked in at the dentist to have a much needed crown prepared. So actually about as unrelaxing as it gets!... 

 

The Pop Up Man himself. Clive Sayer (You may recoginise him from Beat and Track music shop)