Hay-on-Wye

Can you imagine a town devoted to books, completely overflowing with them? I went there today -- Hay-on-Wye, just over the Welsh border.

About 50 years ago, Hay was a small city in a bit of a slump. An eccentric book-lover named Richard Booth decided to turn the place around by creating a second-hand book mecca. He started with a large store of his own and then encouraged others to set up shop. While many towns can't support a used book market, a town full of bookstores brings customers in from around the country and the world. (Much like us, visiting from another continent.)

Hay is a great place to spend a few hours. Unfortunately, most of the used books were a little pricey for my tastes, but there were two book stores charging a pound per book. We had a good time in those. People with a strong interest in a particular genre will find plenty to entertain them -- there are stores focusing on gardening, mysteries, children's books, geography, and many other topics. Most stores are pretty well organized, with many specific categories. My favorite category: plagues and epidemics, with quackery a close second.

Hay has something for everyone -- be sure to check it out if you are near Wales.