Books on a barge that roams the inland waterways of the u. The book barge a narrow boat that travels around the uk, transporting its book trade from city to city, via old canals and waterways. Investing in rare books can make you a tidy profit this. The bbc, the book barge, and the brew boat april 20, 2014 may 7, 2014 sandra walsh 1 comment once upon a time, a beautiful young woman dreamt of an idyllic life selling books from a boat. Investing in rare books can make you a tidy profit this is. Sarah henshaw of the book barge from burtonontrent, staffordshire.
I usually avoid memoir and booksaboutbooks like the plague, but this memoir about a bookshop on a boat was wonderful. The bookshop that floated away by sarah henshaw nook. Floating independent bookshop and literary lodgings. The book barge is run by sarah henshaw, a journalist and author of the bookshop that floated away constable, 2014. The bookshop that floated away sarah henshaw shiny new books. Exciting news the travelling independent book shop known as the book barge is moored at granary wharf for the weekend wendy denman caught up with owner sarah henshaw as her six month tour of the uks waterways brings her to leeds city centre. Aug 26, 2011 sarah henshaw from lichfield, staffordshire, has been mooring the 60ft 18m book barge in places such as oxford, and selling her stock. The bookshop that floated away europe news and current affairs. Sarah henshaw is the author of the bookshop that floated away 3. Donovan rees, senior bookseller for rare book dealer bernard quaritch in. Since then, she has taken students and horses to some of the most prestigious finals in the country. Thea book barge literally, a bookshop on a barge is moored on the grand union canal, east of. Barge bookshop given bristol st nicholas market stall. The book barge was opened by a former librarian and entertainment journalist sarah henshaw in june 2009.
Sadly, as is often the case, her dream initially failed to materialise as shed imagined. In 2009, sarah henshaw had a brilliant idea to transform a narrow boat, named joseph, into a bookshop, called the book barge, but by 2011, battered by the recession, the growth in digital book sales and henshaws selfconfessed terrible bookselling skills the store. Sarah henshaw has turned the experience into a book. Donovan rees, senior bookseller for rare book dealer bernard quaritch in mayfair, west london, says. This has received a lot of publicity over the years but the confusion comes from her usual location in staffordshire and her occasional visits to london, on the grand union canal, little venice. Sarah henshaw follow the ebbs and flows of sarah henshaw s journey as she sought to make her vision of a floating bookshop, the book barge, a reality.
Life on my book barge is a whole new chapter when sarah henshaw gave up her job as a showbiz journalist to pursue a career as a bookseller she didnt plan on. Business wasnt always easy, so one may morning she set off. In the true nature of slow living, i asked sarah if i could spend some time interviewing her for my blog. Barge is a 60foot canal boat bookshop moored in staffordshire and operated by sarah henshaw. Englands book barges 10 incredible bookstores in unusual. Barge bookshop does business in bath as part of tour. Rachel holdsworth a book barge returns to londons canals. Click here to read an article about sarah henshaws book barge. Rather than prematurely throw in the towel though, she decided to seek alternative possibilities to manifest her vision. Who knows whether well sell any books there but its a nice place for the story to end.
The bookshop that floated away sarah henshaw shiny new. Life on my book barge is a whole new chapter express. Sarah henshaw opened her unusual bookshop in 2009 and named it the book barge. Sarah henshaws the bookshop that floated away will be published by constable in april 2014, 9781. Sarah henshaw has turned the experience into a book 23 aboard the book barge, sarah henshaw travelled more than 1,000 miles in six months through canals in england and wales. Sarah henshaw set continue reading the bbc, the book barge, and the brew boat.
There are so many great british writers to celebrate and were on board to help bring the fiction uncovered selection to readers around the country. Sarah henshaw follow the ebbs and flows of sarah henshaws journey as she sought to make her vision of a floating bookshop, the book barge, a reality. Ms henshaw, whose book barge is moored in bath on a sixmonth tour, said she was doing better business on water. Apr 18, 2014 sarah henshaw gave up her job to set up a book shop on a boat, but it has not all been easy. Weird and wonderful bookshops worldwide in pictures.
Upon graduation from hobart and william smith colleges in 2002, she began her professional career. Nevertheless the book barge opened six months later and enjoyed the happy patronage of local readers, a growing number of eccentrics and the odd moorhen. The bookshop that floated away by sarah henshaw nook book. When sarah henshaw grew tired of her life as a london. At first it did well, thriving on the novelty factor. I had previously worked as an entertainment journalist in london and selling. She has bought the boat with a money borrowed from her parents. The book barge place saintnicolas, 89000 auxerre rated 4. The business idea that transformed a journalists life battling to keep her business afloat, one woman came up with. Aboard the book barge, sarah henshaw travelled more than 1,000 miles in six months through canals in england and wales.
How to stay afloat as a bookseller the independent. Londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success paddy screech, center, an owner of londons boat bookstore, word on the water, setting out books as customers browsed. Business wasnt always easy, so one may morning owner sarah henshaw set off for six months chugging the length and breadth of the country. By setting up on a canal boat, she explained, we hope to promote a less hurried and harried lifestyle of idle pleasures, cups. Aug 01, 2011 life on my book barge is a whole new chapter when sarah henshaw gave up her job as a showbiz journalist to pursue a career as a bookseller she didnt plan on contending with 3am wakeup calls. Opened 2009 by sarah henshaw, the book barge, is a 60 cruiser stern narrowboat designed for canals. The book itself follows the 6 month period during which she took her narrowboat joseph on a tour of the canals of britain, from the midlands to london, bath, bristol and manchester. Sarah henshaw from lichfield, staffordshire, has been mooring the 60ft 18m book barge in. Henshaw is touring britains waterways for six months book barge. There is at least one other bookboat touring the uks canal network, and im sure the recessionbeating brainwave will catch on. Sarah tells vyvian raoul about bartering with books for a shower and a bed for the night, and why she prefers london seen from the canal. Fed up with city life, sarah henshaw quit her job as an entertainment journalist in london and went in search of something different. When a writer decided to turn her barge into a travelling bookshop, little did she know. When sarah henshaws book barge was sinking, she sent an sos to ecommerce king jeff bezos.
Word on the water floating bookstore in london, england. Nov 29, 2017 londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success paddy screech, center, an owner of londons boat bookstore, word on the water, setting out books as customers browsed. In 2009, sarah henshaw had a brilliant idea to transform a narrow boat, named joseph, into a bookshop, called the book barge, but by 2011, battered by the recession, the growth in digital book sales and henshaw s selfconfessed terrible book selling skills the store, moored in the midlands, was on the verge of closing. Indeed, her youthful obsession with horse books and nancy drew surely promised a glorious career as the worlds first. Were thrilled to be taking fiction uncovered on tour with us this year.
The business idea that transformed a journalists life battling to keep her business afloat, one woman came up with an idea that transformed her life by sarah henshaw. Owner sarah henshaw has just bought a plot of land in france and is determined to take le book barge across the sea, says campbell. She has written for the telegraph, the independent and elle decoration, is editor of the society magazines of the inland waterways association and river thames society and is deputy editor of waterways world magazine. But by 2011 business was fading, and she seriously started. Meet sarah henshaw, the brainchild of this creative venture. Mar 31, 2014 aboard the book barge, sarah henshaw travelled more than 1,000 miles in six months through canals in england and wales.
Lets see what floats her boat so sarah, what came first the book shop or the boat. You can find out what happened next in her fascinating book the bookshop that floated away. Barge bookshop does business in bath as part of tour bbc news. For a heady few weeks in london, i was able to write out a lengthy. The bookshop that floated away by sarah henshaw goodreads. The book barge at barton marina, staffordshire floating house. Henshaw is touring britains waterways for six months on her pretty, customfitted narrowboat, trading. Sarah henshaw is the proud owner of the book barge, the uks only canalbased bookshop, which is currently still in business somewhere on. The book barge, sarah henshaw, at barton marina, staffordshire. When moored, the book barge can be found at barton marina in burtonupontrent, east staffordshire, about 100 miles nw of london. Shes been aboard her floating bookshop, the book barge, on a.
Jul 06, 2017 it wasis sarah henshaw who runs the book barge. The book barge lets be clear, canalside bookselling was never a childhood dream, sarah henshaw tells me with mock severity. There was a long queue of journalists ahead of me so i took a book out of my bag and. Sarah henshaw shows us the possibilities that continuous cruising has for those with a bit of determination and a lot of time on their hands. Interview with sarah henshaw, author of the bookshop that. Sarah henshaw, who owns a 60ft 18m boat, decided to travel around england with her. Aug 18, 2011 a bookshop owner who feared her businesses would go bust takes to englands waterways with the book barge.
The canal runs past it and theres a book bargeshaped mooring at the bottom of the garden. The book barge a narrow boat that travels around the uk, transporting its booktrade from city to city, via old canals and waterways. Mar 06, 2012 a bookshop to float your boat on board londons only bookshop barge, anoosh chakelian discovers a vibrant alternative world of poetry, music and novel browsing. In 2009 sarah henshaw decided to set up her own business a bookshop on a barge. Thats what youll find when you visit the book barge and word on the water pictured. Although rather busy with customers, she generously agreed and we spent a lovely afternoon chatting and eating on her barge. The book barge floating 60foot long indepdent bookstore staffordshire, england. Londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success. Barge bookshop given bristol st nicholas market stall bbc news. Mar 26, 2012 meet sarah henshaw, the brainchild of this creative venture. The book barge, barton marina, staffordshire open skies. Londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success the.
Book barge in places such as oxford, and selling her. Sarah henshaw in her book shop the book barge photo. A few days ago, i bought one for the use of my shower, from sarah henshaw and her book barge. A bookshop to float your boat on board londons only bookshop barge, anoosh chakelian discovers a vibrant alternative world of poetry, music and novel browsing. I was working as an entertainment journalist in london and, on this particular morning i was at a press junket to interview lethal weapon star danny glover. Sarah henshaw author of the bookshop that floated away. Jun 12, 2014 10 incredible bookstores in unusual places by. Sarah grew up in the rochester area showing and training with pam milkman. On the way, as sarah navigated the barge along the canal, i managed to. Sarah henshaws the bookshop that floated away will be published by constable in april 2014, 9781472108050, 272pp, paperbk. The book barge at barton marina, staffordshire floating. So search for your sea legs, grab your bookbags and barge aboard this magnificent bookboat to support a very worthy cause indeed. At the moment, it is moored outside the guardian offices in london.
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