Author Archives: kippy

We queried our staff, and here are their reasons to give books as gifts… Kris: Books can be opened at any time; they require no electricity, only light. Tärna: A person can only use so much bath soap. Faith: Is … Continue reading →

For the past month we have featured highlights from our collection of books on film in our window. In addition, we have been showing select short films from the original special effects pioneer Georges Méliès on a small screen as … Continue reading →

In the original owner of Bell’s Books’ glass cabinet were some very special book treasures: among them a complete set of Shakespeare from 1752, an early 17th Century legal/historical text in Latin from Spain, a complete doubly-illustrated set signed by … Continue reading →

Richard Bachman (1977-1985) was the pen name for Stephen King, in an experiment he carried on for years to see if he could be a successful writer under a different name.  Roadwork is the third (published in 1981) in a … Continue reading →

Our brilliantly colorful Bell’s logo bags are back in stock! Made from a medley of patterned fabrics, using remnants from clothing manufacture in India, they come in three styles: large cotton shopper, sturdy canvas book bag, or small organza gift … Continue reading →

Fresh from our long-term holdings, we have several new condition editions of Tolkien’s monumental work The Lord of the Rings. These include the 4th and 5th impressions of the one-volume De Luxe edition from George Allen and Unwin (one in … Continue reading →

Thanks to recent acquisitions from retiring Stanford professors, our Western Philosophy section has grown by at least six shelves! We now have the largest collection of material by and about John Locke west of the Mississippi (outside of academic libraries), … Continue reading →

As per the Health Officer of Santa Clara County’s recommendation, face coverings will still be required to enter our store (“… the Health Officer strongly recommends that all persons continue to wear face coverings when indoors.” SANTA CLARA COUNTY ORDINANCE … Continue reading →

Larry McMurtry lived in the Bay Area in the 1960s, and he recounts in his memoir, entitled Books, his visit to Bell’s Books: “The famously grouchy Mr. Bell in Palo Alto ordered me off his second fl0or, although I had … Continue reading →