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"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes"

     It's quite appropriate that the above quote comes from none other than Desiderius Erasmus, the eponymous hero of the European exchange scheme I'm currently on.



     The Book Market is in Aix only one day a month, and this was the first time I managed to make it to Place de l'Hotel de Ville at the right time. The square is full of outdoor seating for cafés still in use even in December, and on Tuesdays hosts a flower market. I think I'd prefer a romantic present from this selection though.






     These French translations of Shakespearian plays are a real favourite- the tomes themselves are huge and way out of my budget, even with money from Desiderius' representatives, but they look beautiful. The translated titles alone are worth a look and a giggle. The two comedies pictured here are 'Love's Labours Lost' and 'Much Ado About Nothing'


     The market itself is as typically French as you might expect- if you chat with the stall holders for long enough they can tell you a book's history and may even cut the price a bit too, and the overall feel is far less rushed than that of a food market. Tomes on history and art nuzzle next to classic works of fiction and travel literature, and prices range from pocket-money to emergency-bank-transfer.



     There's just something very comforting about seeing stacks of old books. The care that goes into those ornate covers, the frilly, worn pages that tell of years of use and appreciation. I think as long as I end up with a home big enough for a stack of beautiful books I'll consider my life well lived.



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