The artisans who sell their products at market shows here are a triumph of hope, and the customers remind us that neighbourliness is possible.

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Selling books at an artisan show, as I did at Lansdowne Park for four days last week, offers a generous amount of time for reflection and observation of the passing parade of humanity.

Book sales come in clusters, as if readers are driven by some kind of shared internal clock. A spurt of explaining what my two mystery series are about is almost inevitably followed by a lull. It’s a great opportunity to study the range of people who make up our city.

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While the Signatures Handmade Market appeals particularly to middle-aged women, there are plenty of families with children, young people, couples on a date, sisters getting together to shop, and........

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