The Bookseller of Stromness

The Bookseller of Stromness is a well-known canvas, by Calum Morrison, which now hangs in the relatively new Stromness Library.  It shows the bookshop owner, one Tam McPhail, with various book titles flying out of the door; and this is the way it is.  Tam, and the shop, have been a Stromness fixture for many, many years.  Put aside all thoughts of the vast tentacles of Amazonia.  The avid reader will find titles inside the shop unheard of, unreviewed, but they always hit the spot.  Tam also has his offer of ‘if you don’t like it bring it back for a full refund’.  He also operates his intrinsically bespoke system of book tokens.  Tam’s humour is often mordent; drier than a Duke of Clarence Malmsey from 1908.  Yes, that dry.  If you are ever in Stromness I would encourage you to go and see the painting in the Library and Tam in the flesh.

On another note the Cooncil had an array of early-morning street sweepers deployed; the streets were disinfected (even before they were properly aired).  The streetlamps have been polished, bunting displayed and all stray dogs impounded.  Yes - today Stromness is receiving a VIP.