LUCY BURDETTE: I am certain I am not the only person reading this blog who has an obsession with bookstores. Whenever I visit a new town, a stop to the local bookstore will always be included. Each store has its own personality. Of course, I check to see whether my books or the books of my writing friends are there. Often bookstores are small, and the number of books published every year is enormous, so I am not disappointed if I don’t see familiar titles. It’s a special bonus however, if I do! This year I stopped at the Midtown reader in Tallahassee with my sister, and also visited The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia. While at a family wedding last weekend, we went to Sherman’s Maine Coast in Damariscotta, where we spotted a full shelf of Barbara Ross books and also Jenn’s Love at First Book. Here is what I found at Thiemers Magazin in Copenhagen. Hooray, Jenn is everywhere!
I feel particularly lucky to have wonderful independent bookstores in both of my hometowns, RJ Julia in Madison CT where I often have a launch party, and Key West Island books and Books and Books in Key West, both of which are extremely supportive of local authors.
Though I don’t do nearly the amount of touring that our own Hank does, I visited two amazing stores in the past month. Jeff Kinney (the writer) established An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts. This store is absolutely magical!
And as I mentioned on Wednesday, John and I stopped at Ann Patchett’s Parnassus in Nashville while we were there for the Bouchercon conference. We found Jenn again!
This reminded me that my first real job out of college was working as a clerk at a bookstore. Sometimes I dream of owning one myself, but then I remind myself that I should have thought of this 20 years earlier lol. Instead, I will visit as many stores as I can reach, and support them with as many purchases as my nightstand can hold!
How about you Reds, are you hooked on bookstores as well as books? Any favorites to tell us about?
I love bookstores, but we don't have any near us. Sadly, our local independent bookstore closed years ago; Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million are about twenty-eight miles away. So . . . I get books wherever I can and whenever we're near a bookstore, we absolutely have to stop and check it out . . . .
ReplyDeleteA bookstore desert Joan, that would be so sad. Makes me think I'm very lucky!
DeleteI don't visit bookstores as much as I used to since the stores I loved so much have closed. But I do enjoy visiting bookstores when I get a chance.
ReplyDeleteI need to get myself to An Unlikely Story! My local indy, Jabberwocky, is fabulous, and is so supportive of local writers. I'm having a launch party there on November 7 and you're all invited.
ReplyDeleteYes you should go Edith! Thanks for the invite--I'll be in Key West:)
DeleteEdith I put the date on my calendar!
DeleteBookstores and libraries: our natural habitats!
ReplyDeleteWe are really lucky in Cincinnati. In addition to a wonderful library system, we still have Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books, and our own fabulous Joseph Beth Books (two stories, enormous kid's section, fireplace seating area perfect for author signings, and a lovely cafe open all day, seven Day a week).
Even better, there are another 20 independent bookstores, all of whom will participate in a bookstore crawl, the weekend of October 4-6.
Although it didn't set up shop in Lexington, KY, before I left years ago, I love the Joseph-Beth's Booksellers there. I live near NYC and I've been in DC back when there were enough bookstores listing all the bookstores, but Lexington's Joseph-Beth's is my favorite. As the folks back home in a more rural part of Kentucky say, "Now that's sayin' somethin'."
DeleteAnd they always have a full calendar of events, especially author signings. William Kent Kruger was there two nights ago.
DeleteYou can always tell when a signing is well attended because they photograph the author standing on the wide, central staircase.
That's one thing that always amazed me about JB's. All the photos of bestselling authors who'd been there. In Lexington, KY. That made me wonder if they, what's the phrase, reported to the NYT.
DeleteA bookstore crawl sounds amazing! Are you going? how does it work?
DeleteThe stores have "passport" that you pick up and present at each store for a stamp. I haven't investigated what else, but I suspect there will be discounts and freebies at each store. As far as I know this is the first one, but I've been hearing about quilt shop crawls for years.
Delete20 independent bookstores, Karen! That's fabulous. That makes DFW look like a bookstore desert.
DeleteI keep telling you guys, you need to come to Cincinnati. Huge community of readers.
DeleteKaren, you are so lucky! I love bookstores, but the only one within close proximity is a BAM at the local mall. I will visit any bookstore I can find when I travel. And the first thing I checked out when I've lived somewhere new is the local library.
ReplyDeletewe are cut from the same cloth!
DeleteLucy ~ Two places I could hang out in forever are bookstores and garden nurseries. I love visiting both no matter where we go. There is something very comforting and inviting about being in a room full of books and/or plants and the happiest and most peaceful people on earth seem to be "bookies" and authors. Who can resist the inclusive world of bookclubs and book signings as well as garden lectures and blogs; the enthusiasm behind these events can be so empowering. I well remember when our independent bookstores were being gobbled up by the larger and nationally-known ones. (Think "You've Got Mail") The intimacy behind a small bookstore disappeared along with storybook hours for children and chats at the registers with enthusiastic staff members. The design of the box bookstores were standard and all the same; gone were the individual architectural looks and creativity found in the smaller ones. That's not to say our nationally-known bookstores don't have a place in the world of books but it's wonderful to see the independent book owner back on the scene again and thriving. There should be room for everyone. I have been fortunate to always have an independent bookstore nearby wherever I lived. When I resided in the Boston area I would visit Brookline Booksmith and now on the South Shore I am blessed with the family-owned Titcombs Bookstore in Sandwich and the newly-established BookLove in Plymouth, a stones throw from my residence. If I could add a room to my existing home it would be a library filled with walls of books, a fireplace and a comfy chair to snuggle up in with a mystery story. I'll close out my rambling thoughts with two book-related quotations. While visiting a bookstore in Manchester, Vt I discovered on the stone pathway leading up to its front door the following quote on one of the pavers ~ "Nothing is etched in stone" which of course it was...lol. The second quote I stumbled on the other day while on Facebook ~ "Books: Helping Introverts Avoid Conversation since 1454." Genius! :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband got me a t-shirt for Christmas with that quote. I get lots of comments when I wear it!
Deletethanks for the store suggestions Evelyn, and the T-shirts!
DeleteYou're welcome! Perhaps sometime you and Roberta Isleib ;) will come visit these bookstores. The T-shirt is a gas! And for so many of us very true.
DeleteOops...Anonymous was me. Caffeine has not yet kicked in...
DeleteI Love Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, NY. One of my happy places ❤️
ReplyDeleteOooh! I like that one, too. It's in the middle of everything on Broadway.
DeleteI don't think I've been to Saratoga Springs?
DeleteAmy ~ I just learned something new this morning. I did not know there was another Northshire Bookstore location in Saratoga Springs, NY. I only knew of the Manchester, Vt. site. My apologies, too, for neglecting to mention the name of the bookstore in Vt.; thank you for the Northshire Bookstore reference as well as the Saratoga Springs information. That would be a wonderful destination to check out!
DeleteI don't know of any independent bookstores in this area of Connecticut. I have driven down to meet Lucy at RJ Julia a few times. The shortest distance is on back roads, so I prefer to make that drive when it is light out. I am not as daring a driver as I once was. We have a big beautiful B&N in our town center but most of my book shopping is on line these days.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter lives near Rehoboth Beach where their independent bookstore, Browseabout Books is very well known. We visit the store with our grandsons every time we are down there. When we are there, I always check to see if they are stocking Jungle Red Writers' books. Before summer they have a big display of "beach reads." I check with them to be sure that a certain author's summer read will be on that display when I order my copy from them.
If we were there more frequently, I would try to get them to feature other favorites. Although I occasionally see an author I don't recognize on their shelves, they tend to display the same books as everyone else. They are a little more daring than my local B&N, but not enough.
Thanks for coming to RJ's Judy--you are so appreciated! It's true that many stores carry the same books. Makes it harder to break out for sure.
DeleteJudy, thanks for the heads-up on Browseabout Books. We have friends who live near Rehoboth Beach and have asked us to come up and visit (a serious invitation, not just a "come visit sometime"), and we plan to at some point. I remember driving through Rehoboth Beach some years ago, when my husband was stationed at the Pentagon.
DeleteI do love bookstores. The first bookstore I got to visit was my college bookstore. I grew up in a small farming community. What amounted to a bookstore was a revolving rack of mass market paperbacks at the local drugstore, plus a magazine rack. A trip into town to the county library demanded two trips of my busy mother, one to get the books and the other to return said books, so I relied on my school's library and those occasional Scholastic Books sales, for which I was given a budget.
ReplyDeleteEven now, a visit to a bookstore now feels like visiting an exotic locale within driving distance. I never take it for granted, and even though I rarely buy "dead-tree" because I've been procrastinating re-homing ones I already have, it's easy to find something to buy to support the store.
I remember those Scholastic book sales with fondness, Rhonda. I don't remember a budget, but with 4 kids, I'm certain we had one.
DeleteMy local bookstore is great! If you’re ever in Concord New Hampshire be sure to check out Gibson’s Bookstore on Main Street. Great selection, many author events, and friendly and knowledgeable staff. In business since 1898 and going strong.
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful suggestion, thanks Sarah
DeleteYes, Ottawa is lucky to have several good indie bookstores. Perfect Books in downtown doubled its store size after the pandemic and is doing well. I go to book signings each year. Two other indie bookstores opened post pandemic.
ReplyDeleteSo fabulous to hear that!
DeleteThat is wonderful news!
DeleteI agree Lucy, we are so lucky to have RJ Julia in Madison, and Breakwater Books in Guilford. Like you, I find myself looking for bookstores wherever I go!
ReplyDeleteOne is good, and two even better!
DeleteNew England has a plethora of wonderful independent bookstores. I was very lucky to be a publisher’s rep to independent bookstore in New England for many years. I have 3 local- Silver Unicorn Books in Acton, MA, Whitelam Books in Reading, MA and The Concord Bookshop in Concord, MA. I am very lucky. I will be in Nashville next month and Parnassus Books is my #1 stop.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a dream job Suzette! I think the character in The Storied Life of AJ Fikry had that job...
DeleteLucy, it was a dream job! I loved “The Stories !ife of AJ Fikry”!
DeleteWhen I was growing up there was a indie owned store called Kenmark Books (nicknamed Buck-A-Book) on the main highway that runs through town. I used to go there all the time. But that was burned down many years ago. That's the only "indie" store we've had in town.
ReplyDeleteWhen Borders still existed it was in the Wareham Crossing mall area which is a 2-minute drive across the highway from my job. I would go there all the time on lunch break or after work. Of course, with the death of Borders the store went bye-bye and is now a liquor store. So the town was without a bookstore for a number of years until last year saw the opening of a Barnes & Noble in the same mall area. It's a smaller store than those giant ones you hear about but they've had a number of author signings there since opening and with that short ride, I can go there whenever I want.
I know people tend to crap all over the megastore corporate booksellers in favor of locally owned stores, but I don't. When you have the option of no stores or a B&N, which would you choose?
That said, I do like to visit an indie store if it is possible. They tend to be a drive for me, so I only go if there's an author event or I happen to be in the area for other business. There's An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA which Lucy mentioned. I've been there for a number of author events including for Hank, Brad Meltzer and Terry Hayes.
I also like Titcomb's Bookshop in East Sandwich, MA. I've been there for a few events whether on premises at the store or when they sponsor an event that's held at the local library there. I've seen Hank, Peter Colt, Joanna Schaffhausen and Edith Maxwell there for events. Plus I've run into Nicole Asselin browsing for books once.
I've been to the B&N in the Hyannis mall and once visited Brookline Booksmith for an event with Lucy and Rhys (that had Hallie, Hank, Edith Maxwell and Julia...plus a few other authors AND Bolo Books blogger Kris Zgorski in attendance as well). Oh, and I went to a couple of events (Bruce Robert Coffin and Stephen Cooper) when the New England Mobile Book Fair was still open.
If budget was no option, I'd love to take a U.S. tour like a rock band and visit all the mystery focused bookstores in the country, that would be kind of epic for me. Especially if I could hit the shops on days when authors I like were doing events.
And a lot of the cozy series I read seem to have a bookstore or library as the main setting.
I also haunt the used book sales at two or three local libraries. While they aren't stores per se, the few bucks I spend there goes to the library which can't be bad.
You're an official book fiend too Jay! That was such a fun event with most of the Reds in attendance! I would definitely take that mystery bookstore tour:)
DeleteJay, I was at the Brookline Booksmith at the same time you were there and I think I may have actually spoken to you since I remember speaking to some people who had come up from the Cape. I was impressed that they had travelled so far to see the authors who were appearing there that night. I live a couple of blocks away from the store so it was very convenient for me. I also remember seeing several other authors in the audience. It was a good turnout.
DeleteThe Booksmith has done some extensive work on the store and the authors are in a much more accessible location at street level now.
Lucy, I'm still holding out hope for an official Jungle Red Writers convention with all of you and some associated guests...that would be a fun one day event at some big hall or library in the Boston area (selfishly picked so I have the chance to get there). That's how much I loved the event at the Brookline Booksmith.
DeleteAnonymous, I'm not sure who you are but there's definitely a chance you spoke to me at the Booksmith event. And the audience was definitely packed with a bunch of authors. I'm not sure that I'd be all that eager to take another trip to the store though. Long and crazy drive to actually get to the event. I'm glad they remodeled to put the authors on the first floor. Of course, I'd be more impressed if they put in a public bathroom which they didn't have when I went there.
I do love bookstores! I mostly use Powell's here in Portland, usually the Hawthorne branch. The Powell's City of Books on Burnside is a bit overwhelming, particularly right before Christmas. We also have a wonderful smaller independent bookstore, Broadway Books, which I enjoy patronizing too.
ReplyDeleteI think I was at both of those stores, years ago.
DeletePowell’s is amazing!
DeleteI love Powell’s on Burnside! Haven’t been to their other locations (except in the Portland Airport). — Pat S
DeleteYou can't beat Powell's!
DeleteI have family in Portland Gillian. I love to visit and when I do we all pile up in the car and head over to Powell's to both locations. Love Portland for so many reasons and so many local coffee shops is another one of the reasons why.
ReplyDeleteHere in San Diego we have the oldest family owned bookstore in the country (1846). Warwick's in La Jolla. The original owner's g-granddaughter runs it. It is my haven where I run into friends, chat with the booksellers, and basically would move in (LOL) if they had a cafe too.
www.warwicks.com
I will have to visit there next time we're going to see the grandkids!
DeleteAnonymous, Warwick's sounds wonderful.
DeleteAnon, I, too, live in San Diego. Other than last year’s Bouchercon when Warwick’s was one of the vendors onsite, I don’t think I have bought anything from them in two decades. I just never go to La Jolla. I didn’t know the back story about one family owning it for all those years, either. I guess a field trip is in my future! — Pat S
DeleteHi Pat S. A little tip: public parking is a bear on the street. But go around to the back of the Warwicks (down the alley) and they have free available parking.
DeleteThanks, AC! (I lived in PB in my twenties so La Jolla was not far. Now I have to think about it and plan.) — Pat
DeleteLove bookstores. I used to work at a big chain bookstore in 2004 and that chain went out of business about ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many bookstores. When I travelled to England, I found Waterstone bookstore with a restaurant inside the bookstore. At that time, for some reason I did not know about Hatchards. Next time I get a chance to visit England, I will definitely visit Hatchards. In Scotland, I visited James Thin bookstore in Edinburgh. I recently discovered that my 3x great grandfather was a bookseller in ? Glasgow ? I do not think the bookstore is there anymore.
There was a wonderful children's bookstore at a shopping mall when I was a child. It went out of business by the time I was a teenager. I learned about Elizabeth Fry from one of their children's books.
Several favorites:
Politics and Prose in Washington, DC
Murder by the Book - ? Houston ? Texas
Poisoned Pen Bookstore - Phoenix ?, Arizona
the Book Stall, Chicago, IL
Munro's Books, Vancouver, Canada
Was there a bookstore at Pike's Plaza in Seattle, Washington?
Several wonderful indie bookstores in Ashland, Oregon. I forgot the names of the bookstores. I remember one bookshop had a wonderful coffee /tea cafe with treats and you could sit outside. However you needed to walk upstairs. Not accessible for people in wheelchairs, though.
Book Passage in Corte Madera and at Ferry Building in San Francisco
Great Good Place for Books in Oakland, CA
Pegasus Books
Books Inc.
so many bookstores, so little time!
DeleteI’m in Harrisburg PA and local Midtown Scholar bookstore is hosting Richard Osman next month!
ReplyDeleteHe's coming to Madison CT as well, but I will sadly be out of town that day
DeleteHi Barbara, yes we used to visit and love Haslam's. Will check out Wilson's. I donated $ to the Lynx when they were getting off the ground. So happy they seem to be thriving!
ReplyDeleteI DO love bookstores. Always have. Growing up there were two - Martindales in Beverly Hills and (I can't remember the other's name) but I spent hours in both with my dad who loved bookstores, too. Seconding BOOK PASSAGE in Corte Madera. Our own BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH which is always packed and has *the* best events. PORTER SQUARE BOOKS which is moving I've heard and I wonder if they'll change the name since they'll no longer be in Porter Square. I'm so sad that our own KATE'S MYSTERY BOOKS is long closed along with so many smaller bookstores in Cambridge. There's a new Barnes & Noble in my local mall and though it's small it's welcoming and a little oasis. Interesting how B&N has become the "underdog" in the book business when not so long ago they were blamed for pushing out independent bookstores.
ReplyDeleteHallie ~ Brookline Booksmith in Coolidge Corner has always been a favorite of mine but I don't visit it as much anymore since moving near the Cape. A weekly trip always involved lunch at Zaftigs down the street and then off to the bookstore to browse. Harvard Square always had the Harvard Bookstore but so many other booksellers disappeared unfortunately. I remember when the Harvard Coop was renovated. Its bookstore section was like stepping into a small library with its three floors of book selections, sofas and chairs to hang out and read and a small cafe in the back of the store. I always took my niece there when she was very young. She loved selecting a book which I would then purchase for her and we'd sit and have tea and a treat in the little cafe. She's now a grown woman nearing 40 and so my husband and I buy books for her daughter (which is our goddaughter) twice a year for her birthday and Christmas. We always inscribe and date the books we gift her and make our selection based on information we get from our 11-year old "advisor", the granddaughter of close friends of ours. She's the same age as our goddaughter. What better source than someone in the same age group?! You're right about Barnes & Noble. I remember when it gobbled up so many of the small bookshop vendors. I was so upset and angry. At least now there appears to be room for everyone and the revival of the smaller bookshops is wonderful.
DeleteWe are so excited here in Huntsville! Our bookstore without walls for the last 5 years is getting WALLS and a physical home! Snail on the Wall bookstore has been operating from a friend's home and popups. She delivered or mailed orders, set up book talks here in town, brought in amazing authors and deserved more kudos than could possibly be given! Come visit Huntsville, AL after next weekend and drop by The Snail on the Wall! I too search out small bookstores when travelling, and usually purchase local titles from them. We want to keep our local retailers in business. Books are Friends (to "misquote" a famous line) 😁
ReplyDeleteI am so lucky to have outstanding bookstores in both places I love. Book Passage in Corte Madera and the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale. In my early writing days there were so many mystery bookstores and I think I visited them all! Whenever I’m in a new city I always find a bookstore I like and if they have a good sale going on I usually weigh down my luggage with books. I miss my book tours and places I would never otherwise have been: Wichita Kansas. Naperville IL. That funny little village in NC with striped cows…etc
ReplyDeleteI live!!! I do love them too.
DeleteRhys, that’s McIntyre‘s book store and the cows are belties! Lucy
DeleteWe are lucky to have a bookstore in Fort Kent, ME. Bogan Books. Even if I have nothing on my to buy list (yeah, like THAT ever happens), I'll pop in just to breathe the special scent of paper and ink. Glorious.
ReplyDeleteA sniffle for my dearly departed ACRES OF BOOKS here in Long Beach. The first time a friend and I went we were there so long we had to take lunch break. I can’t imagine it was up to earthquake codes since the shelves were stacks of fruit crates (one of which I got when they closed). The lighting was terrible, so when I’d go on an expedition I would take a flashlight. Ray Bradbury wrote an essay about it.
ReplyDeleteTHE LAST BOOKSTORE in downtown LA is fantastic. Sadly it opened after my office moved, otherwise I would have spent every lunchtime there. When we downsized 5 years ago we sent them 46 boxes of books. It is very IG friendly with a book tunnel and other fanciful displays.
Oh, I agree re THE LAST BOOKSTORE. We went there shortly after it opened -- what a treasure! I'm long overdue for another visit. And, I'm excited about you visiting Coalesce. They sell both new and used books. Be sure to walk through the back down to their garden and Garden Chapel (designed by Cal Poly students and built by local carpenters and fishermen in 1973). It's the first place I go when we go up there, and I take my wishlist to get a few books from them.
DeleteA combo visit to Coalesce and Wild Fields Brewing in Atascadero sounds like a perfect weekend trip!
DeleteI live near Los Angeles, so there are several independent bookstores that are a "must" when we head to L.A. The same goes for Ventura and Santa Barbara. Many years ago, there was an organization called the Southern California Independent Bookstore Association (I think they have since merged with another group), and they would do day trips to stores in L.A., San Diego, and Orange County, featuring local authors. Those trips were a book lover's and bookstore lover's dream come true!
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were living in Houston in 2022, we spent a few days sightseeing, but I knew something was missing. I asked my son to find a bookstore, and he took us to Brazos. I walked in, took a deep breath, and immediately felt better. Same thing happened last year, when they moved to Washington, DC. I'd never been there, and we did "sightseeing on steroids" before I left. Once again, I asked for a bookstore, and we all discovered the wonderful Politics & Prose. My #1 favorite, which is three hours away in Morro Bay, CA, is Coalesce Bookstore. They've been there for 51 years, and with each visit, I always find a treasure. Bookstores just feed my soul.
Ooohhh! I will look for Coalesce the next time we are up the coast.
DeleteSo sorry you didn't get to Murder by the Book in Houston! It's wonderful!
DeleteOh, I'm sorry i didn't know about them! I also wanted to go to Blue Willow, but we just ran out of time. So many gems...
DeleteI love, love, love bookstores, and I'm so glad you got to visit Sherman's, Lucy! We're blessed in Maine with so many wonderful independent bookstores - there's only one Books-a-Million and one Barnes and Noble in the whole state, so there's lots of room for other booksellers.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite aspects of traveling and visiting book shops is the chance to be introduced to regionally popular authors who haven't burst out into national view (yet.) At Capitol Books & News (a wonderful store in Montgomery, AL, that is no more) the owner, Cheryl Upchurch, thrust Joshilyn Jackson's first novel into my hands and said, "You will love this!" And I've been a fan of hers since!
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and my mom loved Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park. (I don’t remember going there on my own.) I like Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego and, as mentioned above, Warwick’s is nearby in La Jolla. My favorite bookstore is still Powell’s City of Books in Portland. Fortuitously, my son and daughter-in-law now live in Portland so I do get a chance to visit more often than I used to. (One of the things I love about Powell’s is that they buy back books and they sell used books right alongside the brand new copies. That helps when you have a limited amount of money. If you can find a good copy of a used book, you might be able to get “just one more book” without breaking the bank.) — Pat S
ReplyDeleteI've signed books at Kepler's, Pat!
DeleteI was a teenager or in college the last time I remember being in Kepler’s, Debs. Now that my son has moved from San Jose, I don’t get to the Peninsula very often. Next trip, though, I’ll definitely make an effort to get into Kepler’s! — Pat
DeletePat S - I used to go to Kepler’s Books on my way to my CI appointments at Stanford. Easy to get off the Cal Train in Menlo Park, get back on train and go to Palo Alto. Kepler’s has many beautiful books!
DeleteI like to visit bookstores and libraries when I travel.
ReplyDeleteI love bookstores. And libraries. I had a favorite used bookstore in Sacramento. I never left empty handed, but I could hang out there for hours, browsing and reading before I made my purchase. One day Peter, the owner, answered the store phone and then gave me a peculiar look. "It's for you," he said. It was my husband wondering which one of us was cooking that evening, given that it was getting late in the day. As a matter of fact, I was.
ReplyDelete"Well," said Peter, when I hung up, "He knew where to find you ..."
Elizabeth, that’s hysterical! Lucy
DeleteYou would think that in a metro area as big as DFW we'd be overrun with indies, but we lost our mystery book store years ago. Now there is Interabang, a lovely general fiction store, and The Wild Detectives, which despite the name is more of a very literary bent. Neither, however, is anywhere close to me! My town has a Half Price Books (love!), or I can drive 10 to 15 miles to the closest B&N.
ReplyDeleteThere is a new indie right on the town square here in McKinney. I have a date to visit it with my daughter later this week, but I get the impression that their focus is religious...
Favorite bookstores not in my area? Murder by the Book in Houston (only a few hundred miles!) and The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale.
Lucy, loved all the photos!
I do love bookstores, and my dream is to get locked in one overnight. Actually, there are bookstores and libraries that have overnight events. Also, I read that Plot Twist Bookstore in South Charleston, West Virginia last year added an Airbnb to its store, with a separate entrance and 24 hour access to the bookstore. Yes, I'm looking up dates for it. Unfortunately, we have no independent bookstores nearby. Across the river in Evansville, IN (about 40 min.) is Barnes and Noble, and it is a good one. We would have to drive two hours to Louisville or three and a half to Lexington to get more bookstores, including some independent. Joseph-Beth is in Lexington, and I used to love going there when visiting Lexington. It was the first Joseph-Beth store opened. There was one in the Louisville area, but it is no more. Then, there's the Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati. When my husband was at the Pentagon, I loved taking the Metro over to Kramer Books, cramped full of books and good food in its small restaurant.
ReplyDeleteBefore my friend Bonnie died, we used to talk about taking a tour of bookstores we wanted to visit in the country. Some of those include The Poisoned Pen, Murder by the Book, Powell's, and City Lights in San Francisco. City Lights in SF nearly closed permanently after seven decades back during the Covid pandemic, but customers and others set up a Go Fund Me and saved it. I want to go there because of its history. In 1956, it published Allen Ginsberg's Howl, a collection of poems that used lots of obscenities and bold/vulgar language. I had it assigned in one of my English college classes, and when I brought it home one weekend, my mother looked through it and asked me why they would assign such a book. That was almost 20 years after its publication. There are lots of other bookstores I'd like to visit, of course. A sad tale is that while I was in Paris last spring, I made my way to Shakespeare and Company, but I couldn't go in. There was a really long line, and I had to be back to the bus that was taking us around. Now, I wish I'd gotten in the line, forgotten about the bus, and made my own way back to the boat.
This post delights me to no end, Lucy!!!! My books are more well traveled than I am. Thanks so much for sharing. You made my day!
ReplyDelete