Ulysses Books

01/11/2026

"Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy books (which is basically the same thing)"
I just finished Shaun Bythell's memoir "Confessions of a Bookseller" (David R. Godine, 2020), about a year in the life of a bookshop in Wigtown, Scottland. Written in diary form, it is an amusing, sarcastic, and utterly true-to-life series of anecdotes and vignettes about the town, its residents, bookshop employees, patrons, and especially the owner, that can be appreciated by every bookseller - and bookshop patron.

12/02/2025

First heavy snow of the season. Must have scared away the customers; no book sales - so I got to shovel, use the snowblower, and clean up hundreds of walnuts in the barn (I can hear the squirrels cussing me for destroying their winter cache)

10/13/2025

Wishing all a reflective, thoughtful Indigenous Peoples' Day; in celebration of which we are offering all Native American-related books at 25% off our normal price though the end of October.

09/07/2025

Once again we had an enjoyable and successful book show at the 2025 Rochester Antiquarian Book Fair. It was geat to see a number of familiar and amiable booksellers - in addition to the wonderful customers. Thanks FranLee and Greenwood Books for organizing the event.

08/30/2025

It's a great event; I'll be there as Ulysses Books.
www.Rochester Antiquarian Book Fair

08/30/2025

One week from today: the annual Rochester Book and Paper Fair, Sept. 6th. Ulysses Books will be there with maybe 40 other booksellers and book-related vendors. If you are considering attending, stop by the store for an admission discount cards (or I can mail discount cards to you). I've attended the past two years and it's a great event!

06/09/2025

It isn’t very often that I close my bookshop on a day when I’m regularly scheduled to be open but last Saturday was an exception. My wife and I decided to attend Trumansburg Porchfest, an event where over 40 bands and individuals play music and sing on some of the porches around the village. We both enjoyed the slow, relaxing music of Cayuga Blue Notes – to say nothing of the pleasant weather. But the highlight of the afternoon was listening to our friend, Chris Christensen, on acoustic guitar. What talent; a great voice and real skill with the guitar. Thanks Chris, you helped top off a special afternoon.

05/28/2025

I'm looking forward to the author line-up for the National Book Festival!

Reveal of the 2025 National Book Festival poster and an interview with the legendary artist, Louise Fili.

05/24/2025

If you are interested in seeing her books, I have at least one in my bookshop. My father know her through his business and thought she was a wonderful lady!

May 23 is Gwen Frostic Day in Michigan! 🌱 Gwen Frostic (1906-2001) was a Michigan artist, entrepreneur and advocate for nature.

She is best known for her print shop business, Presscraft Papers, where she produced nature-themed prints, stationery, books and more. She lived in the back of her print shop for much of her life, opening the shop’s final iteration in 1964: a multi-level store built of trees, rocks and a sod roof, set amidst a 40-acre swamp property along the Betsie River in Benzonia, Michigan.

Read about the life and legacy of Gwen Frostic on our blog: https://links.thf.org/4k6ctyW

📸 Image: Gwen Frostic Prints, home of Presscraft Papers in Benzonia, Michigan

05/22/2025

04/28/2025

I too, am intimidated (struggle with) poetry. Near the end of the article Bouwsma repeated a quote by Joy Harjo (former U.S. Poet Laureate) which I think is quite thought-provoking: "When I began to listen to poetry, it’s when I began to listen to the stones, and I began to listen to what the clouds had to say, and I began to listen to others. And I think, most importantly for all of us, then you begin to learn to listen to the soul, the soul of yourself in here, which is also the soul of everyone else.”

The first of three interviews with Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellows from across the country, to celebrate the end of National Poetry Month. Today's post features Julia Bouwsma, poet laureate of Maine.

03/20/2025

We are all Tim.

Illustration by Tom Gauld.