In its early days, Waterbury was a muddy swamp, a breeding ground for pestilence and mosquitoes. Yet the town’s early settlers rarely strayed from the path of Puritan righteousness. By the turn of the twentieth century, however, this rigorously policed, morally upright community had become what one politician called a “crossroads of slime and evil.” Authors Edith Reynolds and John Murray document the major episodes that gave Waterbury the nickname “Sin City.”
The New Yorker
We have a large collection of New Yorker Magazine. Dating from 2000 back to the 1940s.
The John Bale Book Company is owned and operated by Dan Gaeta and his wife Edith Reynolds. Dan is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers of America Association (ABAA) and a regular participant of bookfairs throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Our specialties include fine bindings, Americana, and ephemera items. Our inventory includes more than 20,000 volumes within our retail space, 45,000 online, and a hearty selection of prints and ephemeral items.
The John Bale Book Company Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.. The menu includes sandwiches, soup, salads, and desserts as well as freshly brewed coffee drinks, teas, and cold beverages.
If you're not in the mood to eat, feel free to browse our retail books.
To get on our list for the daily soup and specials, give us a call with your email address. Copies of our menu are available at the counter.
Our cafe uses the freshest ingredients from local suppliers: Boars Head meat, Sweet Maria Cookies, Passalaqua espresso, Harney teas, Redding Roasters Coffee, and fresh produce from Jarjuras.