The Monkey’s Paw

Fun little adventure to go see the Biblio-​mat. We read about it online, hopped in the car, and drove over to see it in person. It’s $ 2 per go — I got The Battle of Kohima and my girlfriend got History of England.
Take the time to browse this quaint little shop afterwards because they have some very cool stuff in here (cool books, short stories, stamps, and bugs).

I love coming to this magical and eccentric book shop every time I’m in Toronto. The first thing you notice when walking in is the smell – a mix of old wood, leather, and books. The shop is relatively small but well curated and full of character.
The quality of the books is generally high, but be aware that they specialize in unusual and antiquarian items, curiosities, and kitsch items. You won’t find used paperback copies of «Eat, Pray, Love» here; instead, you’ll find wonderful old books about gardening, sex, cats, art, film, witchcraft, etc. A great place to shop for interesting coffee table books or unique gifts.
They do have a small section of literature and classics, but again, this isn’t Barnes and Noble: if you come in looking for something specific, you may not find it here. Rather, come prepared to stumble upon something strange and unexpected.

We made a point to stop at The Monkey’s Paw when we visited Toronto last week. My wife and I are oddity book collectors and I also am a huge fan of early natural history literature. The store is small, but immediately upon entering I knew I was in print heaven. Old books on the most bizarre topics filled the shelves — standouts included a 1909 book on Sexology and niche art and medical books. I bought the 1940 edition of Raymond Ditmars’ Reptiles of the World since I genuinely want to read it and haven’t yet. The price was comparable to what I might find online at the «Buy Now» price — you will NOT get a deal, price wise, but you are sure to find a book that speaks to you and that will need to go home with you that day. The owner of this store researches the books he sells, because, well, he doesn’t want to give anything away. No problem with that.
If you go here you absolutely MUST try the Bibliomat. For two loonies or a toonie, you will receive from this awesome machine an old book. The book isn’t guaranteed to elicit your interest, but it is old, has character, and who knows, just might surprise you with how good it is.
When we return to Toronto, we will be absolutely sure to come again.

It is time for another book store review because I can’t help myself. I have a gravitational pull to book stores that kicks in almost as quickly as I get off the plane.
When heading over to The Monkey’s Paw, I was in full tourist mode, which included having my camera at-​the-​ready. Stephen Fowler, the owner of The Monkey’s Paw, looked at me a little disapprovingly when I took the above picture outside of the shop.
So, I was slightly embarrassed when I cautiously walked in, but then he asked me to keep the coffee I as clutching at the front of the store. TWO book store violations in just a few minutes. I was not in top form. In my nicest and meekest voice possible, I said «sure» and tried not to break any more rules. I truly am in the elite class of book-​store-​frequenters; these were rookie moves.

Just to be clear, he wasn’t mean or aggressive. His look to me outside and his desire to keep beverages at the front was to protect the goodies inside his shop that were well selected and curated. He seemed like a thoughtful person. In his conversations with customers, I heard him offer to email recommended books to customers while giving a thorough origin story to The Biblio-​Mat.
From the website: The Biblio-​Mat is a coin-​operated vending machine that dispenses randomly-​selected old books. It is the first device of its kind, allowing curious bibliophiles to sample the excitement and mystery of antiquarian-​book hunting for the coast of a single $ 2 coin. The Biblio-​Mat was designed and constructed for the Monkey’s Paw by animator Craig Small.
The Biblio-​Mat is ridiculously awesome. Customers were fascinated by it AND were actively using it. Seeing what each customer was getting (the topics were pretty wide-​ranging) was really fun. For a place that looks a little haunted, it has some levity as well.
Speaking of haunted, The Monkey’s Paw’s interior was designed to reference the W.W. Jacobs (horror) short story with the same name. Do you remember that story from your (insert the name of a Liberal Arts College) Short Story Class? Just me?
Ugh, it was so awful. Here is my amazing summary:
There was this guy who came back from a trip to India with a monkey’s paw (because he was in the service, possibly– bear with me, I am just getting warmed up here). He tells this small family (a husband, wife and their grown son) the story of the monkey’s paw, which was that the paw has the ability to grant three wishes, but the last person who made three wishes used their third wish to ask for death. Big stuff. The guy who came from India tried to destroy the monkey’s paw dramatically while telling the story, but the husband he was telling the story to saved it and used it to wish for money. Not a ton of money, just enough to pay off his house. Then, (this is the first gross part) the son is killed by machinery in his company. Coincidentally (actually the opposite of coincidentally– this is all because of THE PAW), his family is compensated the exact amount of money his father asked the monkey’s paw for to pay off their house. Ewwwww. THEN, the wife uses the monkey’s paw to revive her son (although he has been dead AWHILE now) and there is a knock on the door. The husband (who made the first terrible wish and the second to bring back his dead son because his wife asked him to) makes a third wish for his son to go away before the wife can answer the door. So messed up. Seriously, stop messing with fate.
Man, I should write book reports professionally and only about stories I haven’t read in 15 years. Solid career choice.
ANYWAY, is it a place where you could spend hours walking around? Probably not. It is a relatively small store and, where the texts are interesting, the store is a little more resistant to that type of lolly-​gagging than most other books stores I have been in. But here (following The Monkey’s Paw theme), your wishes are books that you can straight pay for (using «loonies» and «toonies” — Canadian money is hilarious) instead of having to lose a loved one. Just saying.
In closing, a series of questions and answers that really could be written as statements, but aren’t because it is more fun and theatrical to write this way:
Are there medical drawings on the wall? Yes.
Is everything arranged by subject? Yes. (And some of them are… interesting.)
Is there a stuffed crow on a typewriter? Yes.
Did I buy a copy of a Calvino and a Neruda? Duh, of course.
Swing on by, just be cool about your camera and keep your coffee at the door.

One of the coolest and oddest shops in the T Dot. Run don’t walk kids!
VIBE
That musty book smell that wafts through the air? Oh, it’s real. Stephen Fowler looks like he might have been evicted from the local CAMH Mental Asylum but he’s SO nice. He’s got the Dundas West twitch before it became mainstream. The front window of oddities really has lured us in.
THE GOODS
Want the prefect gift? It’s here! I got my dad a replica of the original Canadian Scout handbook penned by Baden Powell (the founder of Scouting). Side note: my dad has been a Scout leader for over 40 years so he’ll appreciate this. In the front window, was a copy of the American guide to Scouting which is more of a collector’s item from 1959. Ah-​may-​zing.
I also saw: one of the original Julia Child cookbook guides, A Man’s guide to Sex, a book on grasshoppers and cubed up bugs. There are a bunch of beautiful old typewriters laying about and they are on sale. My friend is getting an Olympia for $ 75 and will repair it.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
Get your paws on this monkey.

A friend brought me here after Sunday brunch. This used bookshop is totally quirky and random. Some things to be found:
— Fascinating collection of old medical books including «Diseases of Women» or the simply titled «The Prostate».
— An old National Geographic globe that still has the USSR
— Vintage postcards and tourist board pamphlets from around the world (in plastic baggies to keep them in good condition)
— 1950’s cookbooks with strange ingredients
Definitely worth a look! Coming here is like going back in time — sometimes scary, always intriguing.

Stephen Fowler has amazing taste and a great shop. He takes the time to write his own little blurbs in many of the books. Ask about the mailing list — if you tell him what subjects you’re interested in, he’ll e-​mail you when he gets in something he thinks you’d like.
After my first visit, it already became my favorite bookstore. There is no book (or «curiosity») in the store that I wouldn’t want for myself. Amazingly eccentric collection. Excellent browsing venue (would make for a perfectly quirky date followed with cocktails at Communist’s Daughter).

You could get sucked in and spend hours looking through the shelves here. Books on topics you never knew had books written about them. Great place to find a unique, very personalized gift. Neat old postcards too, and vintage typewriters. Worth a browse just to look at some of the cover designs on the books, lots of neat retro typefaces and graphics.
Like walking into an attic that actually has good stuff in it. Sort of wish they had a fireplace and a nice scratchy blanket to wrap myself in to settle right in.

If you’re the kind of person who appreciates the smell of an old book more than a new one, who loves looking at old pamphlets, and who craves owning the first edition of their favourite novel, this is the place for you.
The display at Monkey’s Paw will be enough to draw you in – medical drawings on the wall, the window bragging about all things «old and unusual», the crow on the typewriter…
But once you’re inside, you won’t be able to stop looking around. The store may have strange hours (closed Monday and Tuesday, open randomly throughout the week) but it still manages to attract people from all over searching for the perfect book or the perfect gift.
The interior resembles the short story after which it is named (by W.W. Jacobs), with a haunted feeling inside, and the hope that your three wishes will be granted — except here your wishes will be books, and you won’t have to lose a family member to get them. Everything is arranged by subject, except for the short shelf at the front that is exclusively for new arrivals — check it out to grab the second edition Kafka that I left behind (SIGH).
They’ve got shelves upon shelves of stuff — old cookbooks, books on Satanism from the 50s, pamphlets trying to understand why women are promiscuous (how out of character for us!), and dozens of other books that you might just find amusing or could complete your lifelong collection.
This store is a gem on a relatively boring stretch of Dundas, and is a must-​see for any lover of books or history!