Award-winning author who passed away donates over 2,000 books to Paisley shop

An award-winning author who passed away has donated over 2,000 books to a Paisley shop.

Christopher Priest, best known for page-turners such as The Inverted World, The Separation and The Prestige, died at the age of 80 in February after a battle with cancer.

The latter book was turned into a film by world-famous director Christopher Nolan.

However, despite having no obvious connection to Abbey Books in Paisley, the author’s family donated more than 2,000 creations to the store – a record according to Brian Hannan, who works there.

He told the Paisley Daily Express how a van pulled up outside the Wellmeadow Street shop with boxes being filtered out one by one.

In total, 50 boxes containing books owned by the late science fiction author were gifted.

Brian said: “I was gobsmacked to see box after box of books being carried into the shop. We didn’t know where to put them and had to clear an area in front of the till as well as stack them in the office.

“We already have 40,000 books so we’re hardly desperate for more stock but this was an offer we could not refuse. For an author so well known as Christopher Priest to choose us as the recipient of his massive library was an honour.

“It’s not the first time we’ve received an entire library. We were given over 500 books from the library of Professor JT Ward, who was Professor of modern history at Strathclyde University.

“One of the most interesting aspects of running a second-hand bookshop is the donations. You are peering into someone else’s world and life.

“The books someone collects says a lot about a person and even myself, who has vast experience of the general world of books as an author and in running the bookshop, never knows what to expect.

“I often find myself lost in books I never knew existed and subjects that were new to me.

“I couldn’t be happier knowing I have over 50 boxes of books, all sealed, to dip into and not knowing what I’ll turn up.

“Certainly, there will be copies of Christopher Priest’s own books including The Glamour, The Inverted World and The Separation.”

Customers look set for an additional treat when buying one of Priest’s collection but – for the moment – Brian’s challenge is finding storage for them all.

He plans to set aside his biggest window to make a display of both Priest’s books and the most interesting aspects of his library.

“Christopher Priest wrote his name in all of the books he purchased so, in a sense, everyone buying any of his books will be receiving a signed copy,” added Brian. That will, in itself, be a unique addition to their own library.

“We have plenty of space here but it has given me a problem – a nice one, though – to try and fit them in somewhere.”

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