SKU: 84343671680

DARKSHIRE, Oliver. Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller.

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DARKSHIRE, Oliver. Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller.DARKSHIRE, Oliver. Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller. London: Penguin Random House. 2023. 8vo. Paperback; pp. [xii], 244; new. Catalogue Description (from the publisher): Welcome to Sotheran's, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, with its weird and wonderful clientele, suspicious cupboards, unlabelled keys, poisoned books and some things that aren't even books, presided over by one deeply eccentric apprentice. Some years

DARKSHIRE, Oliver. Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller. London: Penguin Random House. 2023.

8vo. Paperback; pp. [xii], 244; new.

Catalogue Description (from the publisher):

Welcome to Sotheran's, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, with its weird and wonderful clientele, suspicious cupboards, unlabelled keys, poisoned books and some things that aren't even books, presided over by one deeply eccentric apprentice.

Some years ago, Oliver Darkshire stepped into the hushed interior of Henry Sotheran Ltd on Sackville Street (est. 1761) to interview for their bookselling apprenticeship, a decision which has bedevilled him ever since.

He had intended to stay for a year before launching into some less dusty, better remunerated career. Unfortunately for him, the alluring smell of old books and the temptation of a management-approved afternoon nap proved irresistible. Soon he was balancing teetering stacks of first editions, fending off nonagenarian widows with a ten-foot pole and trying not to upset the store's resident ghost (the late Mr Sotheran had unfinished business when he was hit by that tram).

For while Sotheran's might be a treasure trove of literary delights, it sings a siren song to eccentrics. There are not only colleagues whose tastes in rare items range from the inspired to the mildly dangerous, but also zealous collectors seeking knowledge, curios, or simply someone with whom to hold a four hour conversation about books bound in human skin.

By turns unhinged and earnestly dog-eared, Once Upon a Tome is the rather colourful story of life in one of the world's oldest bookshops and a love letter to the benign, unruly world of antiquarian bookselling, where to be uncommon or strange is the best possible compliment.

SKU: 2121332

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SKU: 84343671680

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Heather Geschwentner
Battle Creek, US
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Tough
Size: X-Large (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
Nice and tough. Good, large size to put lots of treats and goodies to freeze for long interactive experience enjoyment.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2026
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Chelsea, US
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Helps with separation anxiety, keeps dogs busy
Size: Medium (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
Have been using kongs for my labs for years. Brand new the kongs do have a strong rubber smell. Try putting the Kong in a pot with water over low fire to help reduce the smell. Stuff with favorite treats or fill with peanut butter and freeze. Will keep dogs busy and chewers with an indestructible toy
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Susan D. McCarthy
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Very durable and my Dutchie loves it
Size: X-Large (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
This is one of many Kongs I have purchased through the years. This one was the extra large that was purchased for my Dutch Shepherd. Every night at bedtime, he gets his Kong stuffed with some dry food, treats, and a nubs bone to hold everything in place. He loves his Kong and runs for his crate at bedtime. Usually, he doesn’t eat the treats immediately. But sometime during the middle of the night, he will wake up and eat. Every Kong I have purchased through the years has been very durable. I highly recommend this product for all sizes of dogs.
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charlie
Chelsea, US
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Best chew toy and training item on the market!
Size: Small (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
I'm a Dog Trainer, specializing in early canine education with Puppies between eight and 18 weeks . The Kong is the best thing you can give a dog! You can stuff these things with all kinds of yummy things. I love to get creative with the Kongs. Adding novelty to your dog's life improves their brain health. I can't even give examples because I would be here all day. For dogs who eat kibble you can soak your kibble in water or better yet bone broth, then once it's soft, fill the kong with the kibble and put it in your freezer. Keeps your dog busy for a long time, you don't have to buy extra stuff because you just give them the kibble you're already going to give them. (I recommend getting at least one, but up to six for each dog so you can give them their entire daily allowance of food in the Kongs). The licking /chewing helps them relieve stress and gives them something to enjoy inside their crate. I learned this from Dr. Ian Dunbar and I highly recommend his training courses on a platform called Dunbar Academy to learn how to properly raise a Puppy into the best dog you've ever had. He has helpful information for older dogs too, but you really want to train your puppy properly so you can avoid the behavior problems in the first place. It's super cheap too, and easy to learn from. Plus these are great chew toys for heavy chewers because as long as you get the right size for your dog, they can't destroy this thing! AND it bounces, so you can actually play fetch with it like it's a ball. Every single dog deserves a Kong, so if you don't already have one, go ahead and do that right now. You won't regret it, and your dog definitely will love you more.
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Brad
Chelsea, US
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My pup loves her Kong
Size: Small (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging, Size: Small (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
My little pup loves her Kong! She’s about 14 pounds so I recommend any dog with that size to get the small size. The quality is great. Extremely durable, but still workable enough for her to get in and find all the goodness!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026

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