About
“A Cabin in the Books is a curated second hand and rare books store, specialising in modern fiction and poetry.”
All the books at a Cabin in the Books have been specially found and selected by us, with the purpose of having an offering that covers beloved classics, significant authors and titles, and, most importantly, groundbreaking, non-canonical, and radical works of literature. We hope to be the shortcut to the gems; to offer you the book you have been looking everywhere for, and the one you never heard about and now need to have!
We have a background in book collecting and the rare book trade, and as such, we value and appreciate what makes a copy special, rare, and collectible. We also recognise that the rare book canon has been historically exclusive, and the criteria for considering a book valuable, and therefore worthy of preserving, has been rooted in racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia. In response to this, we focus our efforts on the slightly overlooked and the outright excluded, and are proud to offer firsts, special and collectable editions of books that nurtured our taste and values, and fed our desire to build a just world.
Our goal is to turn book readers into book collectors, and share our knowledge and passion for the materiality of the book. Because we do not want material conditions to be a stark limitation to book collecting, we carry a wide range of editions and bindings. We believe any book can be collected, regardless of its market value. If you have a group of books that you are committed to keeping and treasuring, you are a collector, and we can help you find the next addition to your library.
OurValues and Commitments
We make a conscious effort to buy and sell books mostly written by and about marginalised and underrepresented communities in the literary world and rare book trade, including women, black, queer, and global majority authors, thinkers, and artists.
We are continuously researching and learning,
and are committed to writing about our books and authors in a respectful, insightful, and considerate manner.
We are honest
thorough and transparent in our descriptions, and follow best practices learned through official training and experience in the rare book trade. We can promise the item you buy will arrive as described, and any discrepancies or omissions can and should be raised.
We price our items fairly
to the best of our knowledge, taking into consideration their market value, their literary and symbolic value, and the labour they required.
We believe collecting is culturally and politically important, like archiving, as a way of preserving, contextualising, and valuing artistic and literary production.
We learn from other dealers and businesses, and are specially indebted to the ones that have prioritised the work of marginalised people. We are always open to keep learning, and committed to improve.
We want to encourage people to become collectors, and to try to diminish the financial barrier associated with book collecting. We think any book has the potential to be collectible. We believe collecting books is for everyone.
People at the Cabin
Griselda Serra Duran
Founder
I’ve always been involved with culture and activism in one way or another. I started in the film industry when I was 18 and worked on production and communication for movies for more than a decade, before deciding to focus on issues that mattered.
I co-founded One Big Robot, a creative agency that develops campaigns and tools for organisations like the UN, as well as NGO’s and foundations, working on gender issues, health care or environmentalism.
For as long as I can remember, I have read all kind of books. My grandmother Amelia was the first one to introduce me to Agatha Christie when I was very young and my interest grew bigger from there. Many years ago, I started thinking about the importance of discovering female voices and being a collector already, I started focusing on women authors as way to pay homage, but also learn from them. Since then, I spend as much time as possible traveling browsing through bookshops and collecting special editions. I firmly believe that collecting is a way of activism and this project is a new form of participating in the change we need, individually and collectively.
Email me at [email protected]
Maria Gabriela Villamizar Noguera
Head of Editorial & Acquisitions
To say that I am passionate about books and reading would be an understatement! I have worked with books in different capacities throughout my career, and a big part of it has been working with text. I studied Comparative Literature in my hometown Bogotá, and moved to London to complete an MA in Translation. I have published critical theory essays, and poetry and academic translations, and been involved in editing, writing, and small print projects in Colombia and the UK.
I got into rare books fortuitously –getting a job at the Second Shelf, attracted by their stock composed exclusively of women writers, but without knowing very much of what made it rare. What I discovered is a new dimension of loving and caring about books: the materiality of an object, the history of printing and publishing, the importance of keeping and collecting literature, and the pleasure of placing a book in the hands of someone who loves it, in an institution that will conserve it, or in a collection where it will gain value. Through that role, I attended the York Antiquarian Book Seminar in 2021, and gained extensive experience in modern first editions and the rare book trade.
At Cabin, I have put in all my knowledge and skills to create a curated list of rare and special books that will make everyone want to become a book collector.
You can email me at [email protected]