Oliver Darkshire

Sep 1, 2023 | dailysentinel.com | Andrew Hodge |Oliver Darkshire

“Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller” is a witty memoir chronicling the misadventures of young antique bookseller Oliver Darkshire during his apprenticeship-turned-career at Sotheran’s, the self-proclaimed “oldest bookstore in the world" (a highly contested title, as it turns out). While the book begins with his job interview, “Once Upon a Tome” is not strictly chronological. Instead, it jumps from event to event in a sort of free association game.

Apr 16, 2023 | nextbigideaclub.com | Neil Gross |Oliver Darkshire |Majka Burhardt

Magazine / More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood Book Bites Happiness Parenting Majka Burhardt is a professional climber, certified climbing guide, conservation entrepreneur, author, and filmmaker; she is also the founder and executive director of the international conservation and development organization Legado. Her work and projects have been featured in the New York Times, The Economist, Outside Magazine, The Weather Channel, NPR and more.

Mar 15, 2023 | airmail.news | Oliver Darkshire

Starting to make notes for Once upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller was daunting. How do you start to talk about a bookstore with as much history as Henry Sotheran Ltd., which lays claim to being the oldest antiquarian bookstore still operating under the same name—despite being a mere whippersnapper in the grand scheme of things, at a meager 262 years?

Mar 14, 2023 | lithub.com | Oliver Darkshire

“Extra-​­illustrated, my friend, that’s what you want to call it.” James is picking through a set of books he’s left with me for cataloguing. He picks one up and flicks through the pages. “A tad faded… no, not faded… mellowed. A little mellowed on the spine.” I’m busy making notes so he keeps going. “Attractively so, I’d wager.” He looks over my shoulder at what I’ve written so far. “No, see, you can’t say all the books are different colors, that won’t sell them. How about…” He mulls it over.