#TheReadersRoadtrip – Day 6: John K King Books in Detroit

October 8, 2015Thomas

Right after Simon said he wanted to at least drive through Detroit on our roadtrip, I stumbled across a click-bait list of the 25 best bookstores in the U.S. Much to my surprise one of those stores was a giant used bookstore I had never heard of. John K. King Books. Four floors of used book mayhem. Online reviewers sometimes complain about how cold or hot the store is. Apparently the old industrial building doesn’t have much in way of climate control. Thankfully the weather was perfect for our visit. Not too warm and not too cold. Also thankfully they have a customer bathroom, although the key chain is about the size of a phone book.

If I lived in Detroit, John K. King would be a regular stop for me. It’s the kind of place that just begs to be browsed. It’s organized pretty well, but given the limited time we had I only got to see a fraction of what I wanted to see. Still, as you will see, I found a few things to buy.

I was so tempted to buy both of these even though I own the Persephone version. I managed to leave them both on the shelf. Hopefully someone will discover how fantastic the book is.

FullSizeRender — I think my stack will prove the efficacy of this sign.

029 — Ambler, MacInnes, and McCarthy are go tos for me when I am used book hunting. My recent discovery of Doris Grumbach puts her on that list. After reading and loving William Boyd for our Booktopia discussion I decided I needed to read more of him. And then Simon pointed out the wide array of Monica Dickens they had. I think I bought the majority of them.

I may not have purchased Sherriff's The Fortnight in September, but I couldn't pass up this novelized version of his play Journey's End (or was it the way around?) — I may not have purchased Sherriff’s The Fortnight in September, but I couldn’t pass up this novelized version of his play Journey’s End (or was it the way around?)

I can never pass up a mini-Trollope and the title of this one made it an extra delightful find.

033 — Thanks to Nancy Pearl I am a fan of Merle Miller.

River City Reading October 8, 2015 / 9:27 pm

I’m so glad you had time to make it to King Books! It’s a must-stop for me when I head back to Michigan every year and I’ve learned to navigate a bit, but it’s still easy to lose hours there.

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- Thomas October 25, 2015 / 8:07 am
  
  I wish we had had hours there. Often in a place like that it is the surreptitious finds that are the most gratifying.
  
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winstonsdad October 9, 2015 / 3:26 am

The hotspur book looks interesting to me as when I lived in Alnwick therebus a large connection to the family there in fact one my favourite pubs there was the hotspur by chance

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- Thomas October 25, 2015 / 8:08 am
  
  Of been on a Palliser’s kick this year, so not sure how soon I will get to Hotspur.
  
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Ruthiella October 9, 2015 / 7:03 pm

I would have totally bought one of the Fortnight in September copies, even though I too have a Persephone edition. Such a lovely story. I hope those two copies find good homes!

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- Thomas October 25, 2015 / 8:14 am
  
  See, that is my problem, worrying that those two copies won’t find good homes.
  
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Joan Kyler October 10, 2015 / 8:52 am

What a great book store! I was drooling as I scrolled down your photos. I love those little Oxford Classics, too, especially the Trollope since he’s a favorite of mine. I don’t have any with dust jackets, though. Lucky you!

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- Thomas October 25, 2015 / 8:15 am
  
  I used to pick up any of those Oxford Classics that I would come across. Now I try and limit it to things I want to read.
  
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