Something completely different today. Over at dVerse Poets we have been celebrating all week: it’s three years since the opening of our virtual Pub, where we meet weekly to discuss poetry and display our poems. Instead of a poem dedicated to the Pub (or to any pub), I thought I would share with you some pictures of pubs which look like libraries. Sounds like an irresistible combination!
My only question is: are the books just for decoration, or can you read them? And what sort of books are they?
findingtimetowrite 
Meet you at the Plaza in Copenhagen, Marina Sofia. Or wait. No. How about that pub in Auckland? No…oh, well, why not all of them? 😉
That’s what I call a pub crawl… You’re on!
I’ve been in pubs in the UK where they’ve had a few shelves of books that people can read (usually bought by the yard, so most are unreadable but every now and there’s something rare and fascinating), but never anything on this scale! The LA one in particular looks wonderful.
It would be disappointing, wouldn’t it, if it were a ‘book by the metre’ stuff? I remember going into a second-hand bookshop on Charing Cross Road once and a Russian oligarch came in and asked for ‘a few hundred books, mainly with red and white covers’ – to match the furnishings, I presume.
Have you ever been to ArtExpo? You see buyers doing exactly that: “We need 64 paintings for our offices, no bigger than x, no bigger than y, and we can pay $LOTS for them. Reds and greens preferred, to go with the carpeting. Here’s the cheque.” I had to go and have a sit-down the first time I witnessed it.
Then there are the artists exhibiting who — like Wallander’s dad — paint the same picture over and over, only in their instance it’s because it’s a popular item and they’ll find plenty of buyers for it.
Oh, I meant to add:
It’s always puzzled me why the pubs with shelves of books by the yard/metre don’t instead operate their shelves as book exchanges: bring your surplus books; if anything you pick up to read with your pint proves interesting, feel free to take it. That way they’d have a constantly changing stock and likely attract the occasional extra customer. And they wouldn’t even have to pay out whatever it costs for a few yards/metres of books!
Sometimes the books in pubs can be read. I’m guessing most of them are classics.
I hope there’s some poetry there too – I remember reciting quite a bit of poetry in pubs during my student days…
I don’t think I have seen one over here ~ Pub & books, what a potent combination Marina ~
Hopefully one day we can all meet together in a pub, smiles ~ Have a good weekend ~
Now wouldn’t that be something! Maybe for the 5th year anniversary?
Oh yeah! As a teetotaler (because of my kidney transplant), that’s my kind of pub. Thanks, Marina Sofia.
I notice some of them serve tea as well, so there should be something for everyone…
I want to
Go them all !!!!!
oh wow… an irresistible combination indeed… i think i could stay there for hours and hours… very cool
i think i could stay there for hours and hours…
. . . reading more and more slowly an’ more an’ more wozzit shlowly an’ . . . zzzzzzzzz
They’d have to take me out of there with a crane…
oh i would def be there….they would have a hard time getting me to leave lol…i could just sit and read…and imbibe a nice dark stout…and i would just about be in heaven…just saying…i am thinking near the fire maybe….smiles.
Fire in winter, nothing cosier than that, I agree…
What a lovely place…We would all fit in nicely I am sure…
What a delightful treat – how wonderful to spend some time in these special places! K
I’m off to Copenhagen!
blogging may be easier
Well..that’s certainly a welcome addition..as opposed to large screen TV’s..perhaps they foster conversation pieces..an area..lacking..
in some remote corner bars..;)!
and now..not so remote2!
I absolutely love all the pictures you shared here. They sent a tingle of happiness down my spine!
Those are way cool–I could see myself getting cozy in any of them. Thanks for sharing!
Pub crawl! I suspect there are several volumes of poetry mixed in those shelves. Pubs and poetry are a perfect pair.
As long as we don’t spill drinks over our books… Still, books can take a little wash, unlike ebooks, and can also be passed around from hand to hand for enthusiastic reading!
these are great! the one in Dallas looks especially cozy to me…
I have been to coffee houses with books you can read but, not a pub..it would only be fitting to have poetry on the shelves. The Dallas one looks fun..
These look pretty great to me–I am going to check out the NYC one and will let you know! Thanks. k.
Please do. I hope it’s not a stiff kind of place where you don’t dare to touch any of the books!
The first one I ever went to was in Baltimore. It was in the basement of a bookstore and it was great. I had my first hot buttered rum there and there were comfy chairs to read, and tables between to chat and share. Someone told me it’s still there. How cool of you to share!
That sounds perfect! It would be the ideal place for a book club meeting, or poetry recital, wouldn’t it?
The ones I’ve visited have readable books–used, dog-earred, with unrecognizable titles between the treasures. I’ve imagines the d”verse poets pub with a bookcase or two though the “picture” doesn’t show them.
Yes, dVerse Poets Pub would certainly have a nice assortment of books lying around somewhere…
a great combo…looking at books from far is much better than setting the eyes on giant screen…thanks for the share…
Goodness knows, there’s been enough of the giant screen in pubs with football games lately… this should be a nice change indeed!
loved the pictures you have shared here…all of them look nice…:)
All such cozy spots, probably old books there with dust covering them lots
Very elegant looking places. We have a local college coffee house during day/wine and folk music at night type of placethat’s just a bit north of us that we like to frequent, called the Thirsty Mind. I think I’d much prefer their well-worn books with dog-eared pages—books that have been poured through, books that have been read!!
I agree – books that have been loved, rather than books by the metre.
Auckland for me. My sort of cosy retro look. Looks like home:)
It is very homey rather than chic, isn’t it? Doesn’t try too hard.
I too wondered the same of the books as I looked at the pictures. I do like the idea of a Library Pub…I just like the idea of being surrounded by books…real or not.
Beautiful locations! That would be the pub crawl to end all pub crawls.
Wouldn’t it just? Maybe we should organise it at some point…
Just the sight of the books can be inspiring, but yes, I would wonder too! Lovely photos. 🙂
What cool places to be in. 🙂