Yesterday was one of those days where my life in books took to me to an unexpected and wonderful place.
Last weekend, the Denver Post published a story I wrote about Independent Bookstore Day. I’d mentioned a store that was partnering with a brewer to created literary-themed beers, and I hoped for a Rex Stout.
For the uninformed, Rex Stout was one of the greatest mystery writers ever, a child prodigy, a fierce defender of the First Amendment and a patriot.
Yesterday, motivated by a Google alert, I got a call from his daughter. She had read my story and just wanted to talk about her father. “He used to come down to dinner from writing and say, ‘You won’t believe what Nero said to Archie,'” she said, referring to his most famous characters, Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
“He was a wonderful father. Just wonderful.”
I answered, “That’s even better than being a great writer.”
I told her I want to talk to her again and learn more about the amazing man who was her father. She said she’d like that.
I mumbled something about her sending me any of his first editions she might have inherited, plus any letters or papers. I’m trying to be a wonderful bookseller, you know.
So how was your day?