What is Book Monkey?

Book Monkey is my new online only book store that offers used books of distinction, rare books, out of prints books, and other literary and artistic ephemera. One day when it's financially feasible I'll also open an actual physical store by the name of Book Monkey.

This whole endeavor has been churning in my mind for some many years now. I always loved reading and books and I thought many times about opening an unusual used and rare book store but since I am not independently wealthy, a little thing called working for a living always got in my way. However all that changed when I had my heart attack and bypass surgery almost five years ago. I was put on disability by my cardiologist and many months later I got my Social Security Disability. That meant of course that I no longer had to go to work for anyone else. For the next few years I just went with the flow of things. I learned how to play golf again, and found out that after a year and a half I didn't like it enough to keep playing every week. I took up disc golf, which I like but I can't play it when it's too hot or too cold. I dabbled in community activism and I began writing blogs.

I also during that time began quietly buying up books at thrift stores, junk shops, antique stores, library book sales, and other places. I didn't do it with the idea to open a book store but the idea came back to me recently and I decided why the heck not. It's not a fool proof or idiot proof idea and there is still a huge margin for failure but as long as I stay online only and I amass books and things for sale the way I have been doing, then if I do fail the failure won't be catastrophic. If I sell a good amount of books then fine, if I don't that's fine too. I'm not about to go out and take out a loan so I can open a shop right away. I plan to start slowly and build this thing with a minimum of cash outlay and stress. Since I own the thing and no one's money is at stake but mine I can move as slowly as I like and if I only make enough money to allow us to pay off our mortgage a year earlier, or to take an extra nice vacation or weekend trip, or to buy a set of tires when we need one or a flat screen TV then that's cool by me.

So the online version of Book Monkey is open for business and I'll soon be posting pictures and blurbs about what I've got to offer and one day if this thing takes off then I'll move into a proper shop and it will be a book lovers dream, kind of like Book Eddy in Knoxville, TN and The Book Lady in Savannah, GA are.

My promise to you, my once and future patrons, is to stock good quality used books, some rare books, some hard to find out of print books, and a few other literary and art related things. What Book Monkey won't be is a slave to the best sellers and to what's currently being blown aloft in the winds of popular culture. I'll always strive to offer the odd, the unusual, and the unique.

Check back often because I'll be adding posts about the books I have for sale and about sales I'll be running. Oh, and thanks for stopping by. It's nice to have you visit my store even if you don't buy anything right away.