WHAT'S NEW @ LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS: No. 1 -- The Old Man and the Sea

Welcome to our new series -- What's New @ Lighthouse Books. We'll share some of the exciting volumes that have arrived at the books store. This time we're featuring a beautiful copy of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (1952). It's a first edition and it comes in a slipcover.

We hope you'll come by and visit us and take a look at other volumes newly arrived as well. Look for our series on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Share each episode with your friends. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you'll know when we publish new episodes.

In case you're just discovered us, we're a family-run book shop specializing books of a scholarly nature, particularly Florida history, Americana, and military history. We also have a broad range of general antiquarian books, used and secondhand books, as well as a small collection of prints and maps. 

For decades, we were located in St. Petersburg. Now we're Dade City, just a little bit north of Tampa in Pasco County. We're at the corner of Church Avenue and 5th Street: 14046 5th Street, Dade City, FL 33525.

You can learn more about us at oldfloridabookstore.com. 

Theme Song: You're The Cream in My Coffee (1929), Ben Selvin and his Orchestra.

Murder & Mystery Sale: Find a whodunit at Lighthouse Books and then find out whodunit

Some of the best crime writers in the business are gracing our shelves (and our floors). We have a plethora of finely written mysteries in excellent condition and we just wanted to share.

That’s why we’re having our Murder & Mystery Sale at such terrific prices (just $4 for most copies; a little more for some signed copies that would be first-rate additions to any crime fiction fan’s collection.)

You can see from the video just what an excellent collection we have. Most are Florida-based writers (we like that), though not all have Florida settings for what they write. No matter. They’re still fun reads. Here's a partial list: Randy Wayne White, Patricia Cornwell, John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Robert B. Parker, James Patterson, Stuart Woods, J.D. Robb, Carl Hiaasen, Jack Higgins, Sue Grafton, James W. Hall, Lee Child.

So come in soon and find out whodunit.

We had a marvelous time at OE Book Fair

We were delighted to participate in the OE Book Fair at Oxford Exchange in Tampa on Sunday, May 7, 2017. We had our own little room for displaying a sampling of what Lighthouse Books, ABAA is all about. We were pleased to introduce the store to some visitors who where unaware of us.

Rare book appraiser Michael Slicker has owned Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida, for 40 years. Lighthouse Books, ABAA specializes in antiquarian books, serving St. Petersburg, Tampa, the Tampa Bay area and all of Florida. In addition to rare books, out-of-print books, used books, antique maps, vintage prints, and antique photographs, Lighthouse Books, ABAA also offers expert appraisals of antiquarian books, maps, prints, photographs, and ephemera.

LIVE at the Times Festival of Reading

We had a grand time at the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading on Saturday, not because we had scores of people waiting to have their books evaluated. We didn't. In fact, there weren't any. However, it did afford us time to look more closely at some recent acquisitions of our own.

We appeared on the new Blab.im live streaming platform program Rare Book Cafe, which is sponsored by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. There's a recording of the program above.

It's always a delight to talk with Steven Eisenstein and Thorne Donnelley, the co-hosts of Rare Book Cafe. Steven is the owner of A-Book-A-Brac Books in Miami Beach and Thorne owns Liberty Books in West Palm Beach.

We showed an emblem book from the 1550s with its elaborate illustration and design. We wanted to contrast that design with a Kelmscott Press edition from the 1890s, also a beautiful volume.

Although we had a few technical difficulties, the session went well. It was good to be able to share these beautiful books. After we left, Steven and Thorne went on to discuss a number of other interesting volumes, and Edie Eisenstein joined in with some of her miniature books.  Thank you to Steven and Thorne for hosting Rare Book Cafe.

You can visit Rare Book Cafe live on Blab.im. Episodes are broadcast every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Rare Book Moment: Building a collection

No. 8: Michael Slicker discusses book collecting and how to build a great collection. Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days Lighthouse Books, ABAA specializes in antiquarian books, serving St. Petersburg, Tampa, the Tampa Bay area and all of Florida. In addition to rare books, Lighthouse Books, ABAA also offers expert antiquarian book appraisals.

Rare Book Moment: What determines value?

No. 7: Michael Slicker discusses some of the factors that go into determining a book's value. Michael Slicker's Rare Book Moment is recorded at Lighthouse Books, ABAA in St. Petersburg, Florida. Music by Jack Payne: Back to Those Happy Days