Restore Bookmarks Functionality?

I recently 'upgraded' to Mavericks from Snow Leopard on my 1999 MacBook and found that I had lost functionality in my Bookmarks folder. I used to be able to open Bookmarks, select a file from a subfolder or sub-subfolder, go to the page, then close it and return to Bookmarks, where I'd find the subfolder or sub-subfolder still open so I could select another file. Now, when I open Bookmarks, I get a panel with subpanels. Selecting something from a subpanel requires more manual dexterity than I possess, and when I close the file, I have to go back to the menu bar and start over. I find I can click on Edit Bookmarks and get something like what I was used to, but when I close a file I've selected from a subfolder, I can't go back to the bookmark list and find the subfolder list still displayed as I could before. Is there some way I can restore that very convenient functionality other than reverting to Snow Leopard? Tx!

Leave the sidebar open?

Reverting to SnowLeopard for 1 little is a little extreme isn't it ??
But as Chas said, in Mavericks you have a a Sidebar and by clicking the BookMark Symbol far left of the BookMark Bar. That brings ip Bookmarks, Reading Lists (Where you have sent a web page there to read later) and the Shared Links (attached to your Twitter Account)