Start at the beginning, then go on until you reach the end... then stop.

While rummaging around a second-hand book shop in the coastal town of Whitstable, I was instantly drawn to the antiquarian shelves overly stuffed into the corner. Unusually for these 'general' bookshops, these books were thrust into the front most corner that adjoined the display window, thus allowing me to see clearly all that was on offer. I say "unusually", as in your general second-hand book stores, the antiquarian feasts are hidden deep in the depths of the crooked alleyways out of sight of light and out of the hands of potential thefts. But here in this glorious place they were standing sentinel amongst the fresh hoards, proudly displaying their dusty (and musty) selves, hoping to catch the eye of the discerning customer.

I was that customer. I headed directly towards the deep brown wall facing me, ready to scour the shelves in order to find a hidden gem... and I did...



The book I bought was none other than 'The Boy's Own Paper, Annual 1886' A.K.A. 'Boy's Own Annual', I adored it in an instant! Seeming to capture every fibre of my imagination and fueling the little gray cells, my brain ached for the book and so I bought it. For an entire £18.95p... for a book celebrating it's 125th year, it was an absolute bargain!!

Then came the seedling of this blog... as each week I pledged to read an edition, and to make a record of the thoughts and feeling that were procured from within the pages before me.

I can only hope that, wherever this journey through history leads me, it will at least prove as informative to you as I pray it shall with me.