How did such a curious artifact become “the most powerful, lasting, and resonant entertainment force television has ever seen”? That is the task taken up by Ortved’s “uncensored, unauthorized” history, which is as tasty as a pink-glazed donut with sprinkles, as refreshing as a Duff beer and as piquant as a curry slushy from Kwik-E Mart. And doubly delightful because, for once, the heroes are writers.

-Louis Bayard, The Washington Post

This store may boast the most intriguing and bizarre collection of books in the whole of Toronto. It’s the type of place that you immediately want to visit again after only spending a few moments browsing the titles that range from “All About Carnivals” to “Men In Women’s Clothes” (by the way that last one is from 1950). The store houses a personality all its own; the blood red colour of the floor, fans spinning incessantly overhead and the pungent odor that can only accompany books bound in the 19^th century.

Some of the titles are eerily abstruse but in a manner that will peak your interest and beckon you to look onward. The staff is most helpful, inquire about the mailing list and if there happens to be something on your esoteric side that needs to be fed, they may just find it for you. Spend more than a moment and you will walk away with something creatively random that will keep you stimulated until your next visit.

Hours: Mon-Tues By appointment; Wed-Sat 11– 6pm; Sun 12-5pm
Location: 1229 Dundas Street West (416 531 2123)
www.monkeyspaw.com

Best Find:
Man Before Metals by N. Joly

Quote of Interest:

“By the help of the ruins which remain beneath the waters, let us endeavor to reconstruct in imagination these ancient dwellings, which a well-known savant, for once mistaken, asserted to have been built and inhabited by beavers.”

- Pg. 107. Joly, N. Man Before Metals, 1883 Kegan Paul, Trench and Co.

Usually patios are reserved for beer and coffee drinkers attempting a mid-afternoon escape from the drudgery of the everyday, at Kensington’s This Ain’t The Rosedale Library this sought-after refuge is reserved for books.  Bins and wheeled shelves greet you as you walk through the bargain section. The pink and blue backsplashes behind the books highlight the covers of poetry, art, philosophy and a delectable variety of random literature that simply implores you for a closer look. That random art magazine that is un-locatable at the conventional literary outlets are all here, waiting to be rifled through. The staff is responsive to all questions and do not hesitate to make recommendations depending on the book that you decide on. They can point you in the right direction or leave you to your rambling.

A store that houses great books but offers the variety to lead one in a new direction is a rare find. Ask about getting Allen Ginsberg on tape, the prospect is enough to warrant a visit.

Hours: Mon-Wed 11-8pm; Thurs-Sat 10-10pm; Sun 10-6pm
Location: 86 Nassau Street In Kensington Market (416 929 9912) www.thisaint.ca

Best Find:
Mexico City Blues by Jack Kerouac

Quote of Interest:

“I know how to withstand poison
And sickness known to man.
In this void. I’m no apprentice
When it comes to remembering
The eternity of suffering
Quietly I’ve been through”

- Pg. 110. Kerouac, Jack. Mexico City Blues, 1959 Jack Kerouac

Before you enter the store, take a few minutes to browse the elderly wooden bins for ridiculously priced books of all themes. Walking into the store, with its long shelves of mildly ordered books, is a quiet refuge from the hustle going on around the corner at Honest Ed’s. Yellow signs dot the interior with deals ranging from 3 books for $10 to specific deals on fiction, paperbacks and hardcovers. The older the book, the better the opportunity you will have to bargain the price.

The floors creak a little and the lighting is just dim enough. The books ranged from the dilapidated romantics to new books of every sort. Two long shelves that run along the centre help in breaking up the flea market?type atmosphere so that you can find your fixation. A quick stop in will definitely leave you with a choice; a stroll with slightly more scrutiny will leave you weighted down with alternatives

Hours: Usually 11am – 7pm
Location: 758 Bathurst Street (416 534 2665)

Best Find:
The Fall By Albert Camus

Quote of Interest:

“In the interest of fairness, it should be said that sometimes my forgetfulness was praiseworthy. You have noticed that there are people whose religion consists in forgiving all offences, and who do in fact forgive them but never forget them? I wasn’t good enough to forgive others but eventually I always forgot them.”

- Pg. 49. Camus Albert. The Fall, 1956 Vintage Books

The stark contrast of yellow and white make you blink the first time you walk in but as your eyes adjust you find yourself in the centre of seemingly unending choice. The store’s atmosphere contradicts its stock in a brilliant approach. While being able to retain the choice of a larger store it is also able to remain superbly quiet and approachable like any stores of the smaller variety.

Well lit with a musical background, perusing this store is simplicity defined. The subjects are clearly marked in yellow with various deals abounding about the store so that all topics are given admirable attention. The staff is friendly and helpful, always willing to help a wayward reader to find the next literary fix. If the store and you start a budding relationship then the loyalty cards would definitely be worth a look at (information on website). The prices are excellent with many copies boasting the discount on the back covers. For a store that is family owned and operated and has been providing Toronto with its literary dose from multiple sources since 1976 it is most definitely worth the visit.

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:30-10pm; Fri & Sat 9:30-11pm; Sun 11am-10pm
Location: 501 Bloor Street West (416 961 4496) http://www.bookcity.ca/

Best Find:
Fargo Rock City
By Chuck Klosterman

Quote of Interest:

“When a series of notes reaches a certain speed, a David Banner?like metamorphosis occurs. This is especially true when these notes are played on an electric guitar. Listen to the final two minutes of “Animal” from Vinnie Vincent, a brilliant example of guitar masturbation that works.”

- Pg. 187. Klosterman, Chuck. Fargo Rock City, 2001 Chuck Klosterman

Its monochromatic sign and the promise of good books and great vinyl will usually interrupt a brief stroll from Kensington towards Little Italy. The shelves are packed in an ordered commotion that has a wide variety to offer. Slick titles of cultural theory, pop and classical art and a wide array of fiction all at bargain prices.

Folio and leather bounds can be found at a fraction the price of books with less history. The atmosphere is energetic, with most people taking the time to fully circle around the store in some ambient pattern that is all their own. There’s always music playing in the background to accompany the orchestra of pages, from jazz to rock to contemporary, your ears and mind will be filled.

The recession bin for vinyl heads will be of particular interest, with all albums being under 5 dollars, a great way to dig through the strata of music history. Not many stores offer the coincidental pairing of a Mark Bolan album next to a concise history of the United States in their store window. So grab a book, pick up an arbitrary album and the marriage of the two can be uniquely yours.

Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-7pm; Thurs-Fri 11am-8pm; Sat 11am-7pm; Sun 12-6 pm
Location: 372 College Street (416 944 3224)

Best Find:
larpers and shroomers: the language report
by Susie Dent

Quote of Interest:

“Mattie has a most distinctive running style. With chest pushed out and arms relatively motionless by his side, it is positively Neanderthal. In a previous incarnation, he was a goldfish”

- Pg. 51. Dent, S. larpers and shroomers, 2004 Oxford

Grade Scool books and gallery reviews are contributed by Nick Staudt.

Coming off a rocking week headlined by the party exhaustion that accompanied the North by Northeast music festival, what better way to refresh then to introduce a serene new column by Grade Scool contributor Nick Staudt.

Nick is going to do you all an educational solid once a week and take a look at a book store or art gallery off the beaten path here in Toronto. Do yourself a favour and go pick up a book, take a read, relax the body, refresh the mind.

This first review takes a look at College Street’s Balfour Books.

Balfour Books

If the colorful display of books in the front window doesn’t draw you in, the aroma most definitely will. Any lover of old books will pick up the unlikely scent combination of dust and pages both in impeccable moderation. The store is relatively quiet, aside from the shuffling of feet and the turn of pages. Balfour is a wondrous and engaging way to whittle away an evening with sharp words and an equally charming atmosphere. The prices of books are decent, in general for new books, about half the price of the compromising variety of the larger chains. On top of this paperbacks, art books, literature on fashion, music, culture theory and fiction are all at very reasonable prices.

The store is organized in enough of a manner that you can plot a general direction, but with just enough chaos present that you can be surprised but inspired by a random acquisition. The store hours are suitable to all traffic, from lunchtime visitors to afternoon passers, after dinner crowds and late night strolls down College, any day of the week.

Hours Open 7 days a week Noon – 11Pm
Location: 601 College Street, at Clinton (416 531 9911)

Best Find:

B is for Beer; A Children’s Book for Grown Ups;
A Grown-up Book for Children
by Tom Robbins

Quote of Interest:

“She meant what she said, but even as she downsized the sundae, she caught
herself wondering what vinegar eels actually look like, and how they would
react if one day a reincarnated Uncle Moe showed up in their midst.”

- Pg. 41. Robbins, Tom. B is for Beer, 2009 HarperCollins