The most important of my other occupations enabled me to enjoy to my heart’s content what I liked doing best: reading. An English woman who had run a rental library in the port had died, and Escha suggested that I might wish to take it on. The problem was lack of funds as I could not afford to rent space. I checked out various places and was delighted when Tofol of the Bar Turismo said, “Ese idea me encanta.” [“I am delighted by the idea.”] and offered me a place in his bar.

Witches, oranges and slingers. Half a century on Mallorca, 2006

(Nova York, 1915 – 2016, Sóller). Elena Davis was an American writer and bibliographer. She arrived in Mallorca for the first time in 1955 to spend a few days of her holidays and to visit a friend. This sojourn was to mark her profoundly and a few years later in 1959, she decided to settle down permanently on the island leaving her job behind in the US. In Mallorca she lived between Fornalutx, where she spent 35 years, and in Sóller. In 1963 she opened a library with English books in Sóller, at Bar Turismo. Tòfol Pons, the owner of the coffee bar offered her some space so that she could set up the library, which very soon became a meeting place. Her memories and experiences in Mallorca were assembled in her book Witches, oranges and slingers. Half a century on Mallorca (2006).