"Jonkers" rare books #GGSA2018

In retrospect, it's amazing how the often all five of us - the self-styled 'Good Gang' - have managed to attend our annual meet up: the Good Gang Special Assignment. This year, we were down to just four from the get-go but then a last minute reduction meant it was only me, Ash and Bob in attendance.

Which was fine, actually; we were still quorate. 

And a last minute change of plan - by Bob, the inveterate improvisor - saw us meeting up, this year, in Henley-on-Thames. I'd never been before although I felt some odd, groundless familiarity with it as a friend of mine used to be one of the owners of Brakspears, the brewery associated with the town. 

The drive down was, to be honest, a bit crap. In the end, it only took an hour longer than planned but then there was a whole parking issue and, frankly, I was almost as relieved to be parked behind a pint as I was delighted to see Bob and Ash.

And we had a lovely afternoon that, inevitably, bled into the evening, and the whole warm hazy experience was marred only by Jonkers Rare Books, a shop on one of the roads we frequented between pubs. In the window, they had two books pertaining to Golliwogs. Yes, Golliwogs.

From the moment we first passed the shop through until around five-thirty - when I assumed they'd be closed - I had to resist the urge to go back and tell them just how repellent and racist I found their display. Still, if I've learned one thing from Brexit, it's that there are idiots you just can't set straight. The fact they had the books in the window in the first place suggested they'd be a lost cause. 

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Reading: 'The Liars' Gospel' by Naomi Alderman