oh well.. it's down to the wire and too late to buy anything.. I DID email the island to ask where the bookstores are but got no response..... I'm guessing there's one in philipsburg. (got to keep to the dutch side as the other side will sell books written in french, no? at least they used to!) HOWEVER I could use some new ties too and the french side is good for that so I'm open to suggestions... but they have to be short -people ties... a concept I had trouble getting across the last time I tie-shopped on sxm.