Author: Holly Hoo

Bookseller, mother, artist, and musician navigating the worlds of literature, creativity, and sound. Sharing discoveries, ideas, and the occasional whimsy.
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Inside the Mind of Orwell: A Look at the Original Nineteen Eighty-Four Manuscript

Ever wanted to peer over George Orwell’s shoulder as he crafted one of the most chilling visions of the future? This facsimile edition of his original Nineteen Eighty-Four manuscript lets you do just that.

In the margins, you can see his mind working: crossed-out lines, rewritten phrases, even entire paragraphs restructured. The physicality of it is intense… this wasn’t typed and backspaced, it was scratched out in pen, built line by line in longhand while Orwell battled illness and isolation on the Isle of Jura.

Holding this book feels like holding a piece of literary archaeology especially because it’s one of the few surviving Orwell manuscripts – he destroyed or lost many of them. The original is held by the John Hay Library at Brown University in the US, this a facsimile of that, it’s an artefact of literary and cultural power. It’s basically the blueprint for modern dystopia.


There doesn’t seem to be a copy of this beautifully reproduced facsimile on Amazon right now, but here’s a link to a few lovely version’s of the novel, you can really help me out by buying through this link as i could get a small commission.
Amazon affiliate link for a clothbound classic
Amazon affiliate Jura Edition
Amazon affiliate link to paperback version
Amazon affiliate link to hardback edition
Amazon affiliate link to George Orwell boxset
I could be persuaded to part with mine.


This is more than a collector’s piece – it’s a keyhole into the soul of a writer whose warnings feel more urgent than ever.

Please check out my other blogs, here’s one on mushroom books, and if you’re feeling especially sorry for this micro business in this difficult economic climate please consider using my Amazon Affiliate link if you are purchasing from them instead of me… and this applies to everything not just books.

If you want to look at my current catalogue it’s on Abe but bear in mind this is a tiny fraction of my stock as it’s not humanly possible to list it all.

Feel free to contact me if you are looking for special items that maybe more ephemeral.

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Books That Mushroomed My Mind: A Fungal Reading List

There’s something about mushrooms ~ quiet, mysterious, essential ~ that makes them irresistible. Whether you’re a forager, a dreamer, or just fungus-curious, here’s a selection of mushroom-inspired books that have taken root in my mind over time.

These are affiliate links, which means if you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you (thank you for helping a small business in this difficult economic climate!).

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1. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

A poetic, mind-expanding journey into the fungal kingdom. Sheldrake explores how fungi shape our world and challenge our ideas of individuality. There is now an illustrated version. Also: the author grew mushrooms on his own book. Iconic.
Affiliate link to Entangled Life on Amazon… but you can buy this one from me on Abe books too if it’s still available.

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2. Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets

A fungi classic. Stamets dives deep into how mushrooms can help save the world – from restoring ecosystems to creating sustainable technologies.
Affiliate link to Mycelium Running

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3. The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing

An anthropological look at the matsutake mushroom and its unexpected role in post-capitalist survival. Beautifully written and strangely comforting.
Affiliate link to The Mushroom at the End of the World

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4. Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools

Ideal for UK foragers. A clear, practical guide with photos and habitat info. Pop it in your rucksack and head to the woods.
Affiliate link to Collins Guide

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5. Mushrooms by Roger Phillips

The mushroom guide that serious foragers swear by. It’s chunky, detailed, and beautifully photographed.
Affiliate link to Roger Phillips’ Mushrooms

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6. Kew – The Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi in folklore, superstition and traditional medicine (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)

A dreamy and practical journey through the folklore and medicinal use of mushrooms. Great for folklorists, and mushroom healers alike.
Affiliate link to The Magic of Mushrooms

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7. Fictional Fungi: A Bonus Pick

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a gothic horror with mycelial surprises. If you like your fungi spooky, this one’s for you.
Affiliate link to Mexican Gothic

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I’ll be adding to this list as I come across more fungal treasures. Feel free to share your favourites with me on Twitter or Instagram!
Let’s keep the mushroom conversation growing.

…and for any other Mushroom books like Fungarium pictured above or any other books in general – if you want to help our bookshop please consider using our affiliate link to search anything in Amazon ~ I will love you forever….

more blogs

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Progress, Challenges, and New Beginnings

The journey of Border Bookshop continues to be one of adaptation, persistence, and hope. As mentioned in our last post, transitioning our vast collection of books, comics, and magazines online has been an enormous undertaking. Despite years of effort, we’re still not halfway through cataloguing our inventory. With thousands of single-issue comics and vintage magazines waiting to be discovered, much of our stock remains accessible only through direct inquiries.

As if this ongoing challenge wasn’t enough, a curveball from the council has left us in limbo regarding the future of our current premises. While we won’t go into specifics, navigating these uncertainties has been another layer of complexity in an already demanding situation.

That said, there’s been a bright spot in 2025 so far. We’re thrilled to share that we’ve raised £58.10 for our fledgling charity, aimed at supporting neurodivergent individuals. Half of our profits from every book sale for the next few months are being donated toward this cause. It’s a modest start, but it represents something much bigger: hope for a brighter future and the potential to create meaningful change.

To everyone who has purchased a book or supported us in any way, thank you. Your kindness helps keep Border Books alive and allows us to contribute to a cause close to our hearts.

Here’s to continued progress and positivity, even in the face of challenges!

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2020 – what the what?

The Challenges of Transitioning Online

The pandemic was an incredibly challenging time for independent businesses, and Border Bookshop was no exception. Even before 2020, we faced difficulties with declining footfall and rising costs, compounded by high-interest rates on loans. When lockdowns made in-person shopping impossible, we had to make the difficult decision to shift our stock online while also physically moving all of the stock to an alternative premises to continue serving our customers.

While we’ve made progress, moving thousands of books, comics, and magazines to an online database has been an immense task. Years later, we’re still not even halfway through cataloguing everything. This means there are countless single-issue comics, vintage magazines, and unique treasures that aren’t yet listed online.

For now, the best way to discover what we have is to reach out to us directly. If you’re hunting for something specific or curious about our stock, just send us an email. We’re always happy to help you find what you’re looking for, even if it takes a little extra time.

Thank you for your ongoing support—it means everything to us as we navigate these challenges and work toward preserving the magic of our collection.

Border Books
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