The bookshop in question isn't haunted by ghosts as you would probably think given the book title. In Christopher Morley's 1919 novel, the proprietor of Parnassus at Home (see this book's predecessor, "Parnassus on Wheels") has posted above the outside entrance, "THIS SHOP IS HAUNTED." Upon entering, customers are greeted by a large placard which explains:
"This shop is haunted by the ghosts of all great literature."
Both browsing and tobacco smoking is encouraged in this shop and the owner boldly states "We have what you want, though you may not know you want it."
The story opens on a cold and rainy November evening when young advertising agent Aubrey Gilbert enters Parnassus at Home to talk to the proprietor Roger Mifflin with the intent on winning the privilege of handling the latter's advertising, and expresses great disbelief upon learning that the only advertising Mr. Mifflin believes in is the books themselves. Roger invites Aubrey to supper, and the rest of the chapter discusses the virtues of books and book selling and the joy of reading, as does Chapter II when Roger meets with the Corn Cob Club, a monthly meeting with his bookseller associates, and this discussion continues.
Bibliophages will love those first two chapters as well as Chapter IX where more book philosophy is presented in the form of a letter Roger writes to his brother-in-law. Personally, I loved these chapters, even though over half of the books I'd either never heard of or had heard of by have not yet enjoyed. But even of those titles which still failed to pique my interest, the discussion itself was both entertaining and enlightening.
Those expecting a ghost story out of The Haunted Bookshop will be disappointed; as the sign presented on page three explains what the haunting of the bookstore is truly about. But that is not to say there is no mystery. There is indeed a mystery -- mysterious figures lurking about dark alleys at night, an attempt on Aubrey's life, and a stolen book which is returned but inexplicably rebound and then stolen again.
And there is romance. Enter young, beautiful Titania Chapman, daughter of Roger's friend who thinks learning the book selling trade might provide life direction for his daughter. If I state that Aubrey is instantly and completely smitten with the lovely Miss Chapman, would anyone be surprised? At one point, Aubrey reflects, "Extraordinary, how these creatures are made to torture us with their intolerable comeliness!"
Aubrey manages to convince himself, if not Titania, that her life is in great peril, and that Roger Mifflin is a part of that danger. If one has already read Parnassus on Wheels, we know there is nothing sinister about the bookseller. But there are a few grains of truth in Aubrey's suspicions, and getting to the denouement is a delight. After the appetite is whetted by observations on the joy of literature, the unfolding story is a delicious multi course meal of mystery, suspense and espionage accompanied by hearty sides of romance both sweet and comic. To quench the thirst there are pitchers full of commentary on war and peace and human nature. For dessert, Mr. Morley serves up wry observations on gender differences: "The feminine intellect leaps like a grasshopper; the masculine plods as the ant." and "He was wondering how long it might take for a girl to fall in love? A man -- he knew now -- could fall in love in five minutes, but how did it work with girls?"
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