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At Mr B’s Reading Spa

Posted on 14th September, 2024 in Book Shops, Fantasy Fiction

I was given my Mr B’s Reading Spa on my last birthday. That was back in January, but they are so popular I had to wait until September before I could get a booking. I treasured the card through all those months, looking at it every now and again to remind myself of what I’d be getting: a consultation with one of their bibliotherapists, £60 to spend on books, tea and cake, a bag and a mug, and on top of all that, a £10 book voucher.

Before I went to Mr B’s I filled in a short questionnaire to give them an idea of my reading interests. I said I was interested in fantasy, especially by women and especially with a wuxia flavour, and for favourite authors and books listed Robin Hobb (of course) especially the Farseer Trilogy, Samantha Shannon’s Priory of the Orange Tree, Hope Mirlees Lud in the Mist, Jin Yong especially Condor Heroes, and Mervyn Peake, William Morris, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

Mr B’s Emporium, 14-15 John Street, Bath (https://mrbsemporium.com)

Mr B’s is in a short, narrow street which, although only a stone’s throw from Milsom Street, feels quite obscure and well hidden. Add to that its seeming jumble of little rooms tumbling into one another and all crazy with books and it’s immediately obvious that it is not a high street bookshop. The woman who greeted me lost no time in telling me she worked for “the best book shop in the world” and after my afternoon there I’d have to agree with her.

I was taken upstairs and given a cup of tea and an armchair to drink it in. Good start. Then the bibliotherapist arrived and we had a chat. I said more about my favourite authors, and added The Witcher to my list of favourite reads – we agreed that Henry Cavill is the only Witcher and there can be only one. Also The Master and Margarita, one of my all-time utterly favourite and beloved books. And Godkiller, Hannah Kerner, Babel, R F Kuang, etc etc.  But isn’t it difficult to remember all the books you like when someone asks you? Afterwards I thought of others I could have mentioned, though I’m sure I blathered on long enough without them. I said that I also read historical fiction and detective fiction, as well as biographies and non-fiction.

She asked what I was reading at the moment (The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K Le Guin; William Morris: Design and Enterprise in Victorian Britain by Charles Harvey and Jon Press; Henry Sidgwick: A Memoir by Arthur and Eleanor Sidgwick).

Then I talked about the sort of things I like and dislike: not young adult, not written in the present tense, strong heroines but not self-consciously and clichéd “feisty’, epic in scope, immersive, and above all character-led.

The books suggested by Mr B’s bibliotherapists

The bibliotherapist went away to choose some books, and one of her colleagues came to talk to me about some books he knew particularly well, including The City & The City by China Miéville and The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. SF detective novels! I’ve never read one and they looked really interesting. More tea arrived, with cake (chocolate brownie) and after all the books had been tantalisingly described to me, I was left to browse, very comfortable and contented!

I made three piles. The first was definite nos. One was in the present tense; the other by an author who I think dwells too much on violent scenes against women, though I gather his latest book has improved on that front…but still…I was quite happy to have the books included in the possibles though. After all, considering things you might not normally look at is one of the delights of the Reading Spa.

Then there were the possibles.

Then the definites.

After shuffling the piles around for what felt like ages I made my final and rather difficult choice, but decided to keep a note of the possibles to come back to later. Mr B’s also emailed the list to me afterwards.

The books I chose.

It was wonderful to talk to people who are so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about books and who are obviously avid readers. We bibliophiles need to stick together, after all! I had a wonderful afternoon, and I’ve satisfyingly added to my tottering TBR piles and my massive list of books to look out for.

Mr B’s Reading Spa was definitely one of the best birthday presents I’ve ever had and I can’t wait to get started on my books.

The final haul.