By Sharon Whitley Larsen
"By Royal Decree ...Kindles Are Banned From the Kingdom of Hay" boasted a large sign in front of a bookstore.
I was in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, a charming market town in the Upper Wye Valley on the border of England and a book-lover's dream. Nearly everywhere I turned on most narrow streets I spotted a secondhand bookstore — the former fire station, the old cinema, even the castle. Some two dozen of them in this town of 1,500 house more than1 million books on every topic imaginable. The books are collectible, used, discounted new, children's - and priced from 50 pence (about 80 cents) to more than 2,000 pounds (about $3,280).
Where to go first? Each shop — from "The Sensible Bookshop" to "Murder and Mayhem" — begged me to enter.
I darted in and out of various shops filled with books everywhere — on shelves so high that one needed a stool or ladder, piled on chairs, stacked on floors. Never mind the dust or the musty smell or the requisite literary cat sleeping atop a counter or in a front window.
Some half-million people visit Hay each year. Bibliophiles of all ages — some on canes or pushing baby buggies — strolled through the small streets on this crisp, sunny day as the church bell chimed noon. A few carried their book purchases in burlap bags. In one large shop dogs on leashes led their owners to book racks; some bibliophiles sat on stuffed chairs, sofas or old church pews leisurely reading books.
In another shop, in a locked glass case was a first edition of "You Only Live Twice" by Ian Fleming for 750 pounds (about $1,220). A first edition of "Twenty Five Poems" by Dylan Thomas was priced at 400 pounds (about $650).
Known, not surprisingly, as "The Town of Books," Hay-on-Wye (called Y Gelli —"The Grove"— in Welsh) is about 175 miles from London. It is no longer served by trains, so it takes a bit of planning to get to Hay unless you have a rental car.
Set near the River Wye in the foothills of the Black Mountains near the Golden Valley, touching Brecon Beacons National Park and boasting vivid green hills with grazing sheep, it's the ideal place for outdoor-lovers, too. It's perfect for those who want to take a stroll, go cycling, hiking, camping or canoeing — or who simply want a fresh-air break from reading.
The earliest known reference to the town was a 944 survey, but it wasn't until the 12th century that it was given the name of La Haie (meaning "a fenced or hedged enclosure"), which then became Hay-on-Wye in 1947. Due to its location, Hay was the site of many battles. Its castle was founded in the early 13th century and subsequently destroyed by King John in 1216. In later generations it was destroyed by fires or uprisings — and rebuilt numerous times — as various tenants came and went. Most recently it's the site of one of the town's largest bookshops, Hay Castle Books.
On the castle ground's cubbyhole bookshelves I was amused to see a sign touting, "Honesty Bookshop: Paperbacks 50 pence, Hardbacks 1 pound. Please put money into box." An arrow pointed to the small hanging red box.
It was book-lover Richard Booth, a Hay native and colorful Oxford grad, who started this all. In 1962, he converted Hay's old fire station into a used bookstore, gradually opening other bookshops around town (today, semi-retired, he owns the King of Hay Bookshop on Castle Street). His vision was to create the largest secondhand book center in the world.
And he pretty much did just that. Gradually more enterprising bibliophiles with dreams of owning secondhand bookshops opened them in Hay, converting old buildings into a haven for book-lovers. Through advertising and publicity gimmicks, the popularity spread, and people now come from around the world to visit tiny Hay-on-Wye on a literary pilgrimage.
"The Hay," as it's fondly dubbed by longtime locals, has been known as a bibliophile's paradise ever since.
On April Fool's Day, 1977, the beloved, eccentric Booth — fed up with local political bureaucracy — proclaimed Hay an independent kingdom, crowning himself King of Hay (his horse was dubbed prime minister). He later got on the book bandwagon himself by writing "My Kingdom of Books" with Lucia Stuart.
Hay booksellers acquire secondhand books from all over via donations or sales from old country houses, schools, libraries and individuals. Some sell via the Internet, and books are shipped books all over the world.
"But there's nothing like actually browsing in a bookshop, holding a book in your hand," one owner told me as shoppers milled around the tiny store.
Hay-on-Wye became even more famous in 1988, when the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts was founded by locals Norman and Peter Florence with winnings from a poker game. An event which really put Hay-on-Wye on the map, it has been referred to by the New York Times as "a literary Sundance festival." Today up to 100,000 swell the tiny town for 10 days each spring to attend the festival, where they can be entertained and educated by authors, actors, politicians, scientists, philosophers, poets, musicians and comedians. The next one is May 21-31, 2015.
Previous celebrity authors and speakers have included Bill Clinton (who referred to the festival as a "Woodstock of the Mind"), Paul McCartney (who read poetry), J.K. Rowling, Salman Rushdie, Tony Blair, John Major, Jimmy Carter, Doris Lessing, Bill Bryson, Toni Morrison, Judi Dench, Desmond Tutu, Arianna Huffington and John Updike.
"They come to talk about their life or what they've just written," explained Cardiff-based Blue Badge guide Bill O'Keefe about Hay-on-Wye, one of his favorite spots to visit. "On Saturdays during the summer you sometimes have to queue to get into a shop. Some people will spend seven hours book-shopping, stopping just for a quick pub lunch. It's actually a dangerous place, and it can take four to five days to tour them all. You can lose yourself in a shop."
With a sigh, he lamented that he never can visit the town without taking a handful of books home, much to his wife's distress over where to put them all.
WHEN YOU GO
For more information on the town's bookshops, activities, accommodation, restaurants and directions: www.hay-on-wye.co.uk
Hay-on-Wye bookshops: www.hay-on-wye.co.uk/bookshops/default.asp
The Hay Festival of Literature: May 21-31, 2015 (program available in April): www.hayfestival.com
The nearest train station is in Hereford, 21 miles from Hay-on-Wye. For more information: www.nationalrail.co.uk, www.acprail.com and www.britrail.com
For information on bus service from Hereford to Hay-on-Wye (which takes about 50 minutes): www.traveline.info
For more information on getting to Hay-on-Wye: www.hay-on-wye.co.uk/info/hay-on-wye.htm
For additional information: www.americas.visitwales.com and www.visitbritain.com.
Sharon Whitley Larsen is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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