Cookbooks and Much More

Tradition holds that a child might follow in the footsteps of a parent, but in the case of Lizzy Young, she went through other careers before ending up as an antiquarian bookseller, as her father Roy, at 88, still is. Her business, lizzyoung bookseller—cooking, cocktails & culture happened after raising children, working as a pastry chef for a decade and then as a food editor at Gourmet. As an empty nester, she turned back to her father’s rare-book interest and decided to be a specialist, with food history and culture as a one of her main offerings. “Cookbooks become like a family Bible,” she notes, “with pamphlets, tickets, advertisements, which can tell you what that person was like.” Young often spends her days reading handwritten items such as an account book from a mid-1700s inn or a ship captain’s log. “Food and drink tell a history—it’s right in front of you.” She sends out online queries to find books; her biggest clients seeking books are universities, nationally and internationally. She now has almost 1,000 listings online and “just as many to be catalogued.” In addition to books and cookbooks, there are posters, games, letters and other ephemera.

By appointment or by chance. Located in the La Farge Arts Center, enjoy open studio/seller night, often with a guest speaker, the third Thursday each month. 73 Pelham St. #7, Newport. 908.759.5644; LizzYoungBookseller.com