Congratulations to Munro's Books, Victoria, B.C., "Canada's most magnificent bookstore," which is celebrating its 50th anniversary tomorrow, with appearances by Red Green, aka Steve Smith, whose new book is Red Green's Beginner's Guide to Women--For Men Who Don't Read Instructions, and Patrick Taylor, whose new book is An Irish Country Wedding. The store is also offering 50th anniversary bookmarks, with three designs created by children, and had a contest for which customers voted on the most memorable books of the last 50 years. (Grand prize was a library of the selected books.)
The store was founded by Jim Munro and his wife at the time, Alice Munro, who then was an aspiring author. Munro's is now located in a strikingly redesigned bank building with a 24-ft. high ceiling that resembles the ceiling of the porch of the great library of Ephesus. The Times Colonist has a delightful profile of Jim Munro and the store.