Literature

Stealing Books: The Fancy

Photography by Thomas Brown
Photography by Thomas Brown

Port’s editor-in-chief Dan Crowe confesses to a spot of pilfering from The Society Club

In December last year a launch was held, for a book I edited, at The Society Club in London’s Soho. It’s a magical place, full of unexpected literary gems; they play music you haven’t heard before and they serve cocktails… At some point in the evening I made my way to the toilet at the bottom of remarkably steep stairs. A book caught my eye: The Fancy by Monica Dickens, great-granddaughter to Charles. I loved the cover. The first sentence of the novel, too, is charming: “His name was Edward Ledward and he was going home to his tea.” I had to have it, but it wasn’t for sale. I took it upstairs to show friends the excellence of the cover…

On arriving home that night, after one too many cocktails, I found the book in my bag. What had happened is this: I had stolen the book. It may have fallen into my bag, but I don’t think so. Flicking through the book, I see £4.50 jotted in pencil on the first page. Society Club, I am sorry, this is not my normal behaviour. I will be along shortly with the owed price tag, plus interest.

It’s a truly superb place, so please, support independent bookshops. Buy their books.

Dan’s book Dead Interviews is out via Granta Books. Please don’t steal this one