Toronto’s Own Mystical Magical Bookstore
While on my flight from Omaha to Toronto I did a little research. Being a confirmed book-a-holic I was instantly drawn to a bookstore called The Monkey’s Paw. After arriving and getting a good night’s sleep I start my trek to find this mystical place.
I decide to walk because on the map it didn’t look that far…. Note to self never trust me when looking at a map… I’m very bad at judging distance. Approximately 2 hours later I arrived and I have to say it was definitely worth it. This little unassuming bookstore is chock full of interesting used books.
I’m a huge proponent of buying used books. The entertainment and information value doesn’t change just because of a worn cover or dog eared pages. I walked around looking at books from 20 to 100 years old and in every genre you can imagine. Upon arriving I browsed the sale table ( always check the sales first…duh) and I immediately was drawn to book about travel… go figure. My first choice was a book published in the 60’s by the airline Pan America.
Its a guide to travel around the world. The tips are no longer extremely useful but the history and comical value are definitely still there. I am willing to share some tips if anyone needs to know the best places to get cigarettes in South America or find a hat maker in Portugal.
The main event is tucked in the very back of the shop it’s a cool retro seafoam green and looks a lot like a soda machine with no choices. That being said it’s still magic, because for three Canadian dollars this magical machine will give a book that’s perfect for you.
Yes, Yes I know I was a little skeptical too. I mean this machine doesn’t even know me, how is going to find a perfect book for me. Its magical silly…. Magic doesn’t have to explain itself…lol. So after a tour around the store I gathered my courage and dropped my three dollar coin into the mystical machine and after a few cursory thumps, a book fell to the bottom. The Friendly Frontier, a book about the border between the United States and Canada and the sometimes friendly sometimes tenuous relationship between the two.
I can’t say that this is a book I would’ve of sought out to buy but it really is interesting and I feel that it helped me to better appreciate the country on my visit. So is the machine an all-knowing, magical book provider??? The jury is still out on that one but I will say its a great store with an extremely cool way to get people to try new books. It’s definitely worth the trip if you’re in Toronto but may I say if you don’t have mad navigational skills…. take an Uber!
