When my first three books came out it was an independent bookstore—Clinton Book Shop in Clinton, NJ—who graciously hosted the launch events for an unheard of author with a small press book. Over the years I’ve been lucky to do signings and events at so many amazing indies. They are magical places staffed by stellar people. I feel bad for people who don’t like bookstores. They are truly missing out.
When I worked for a chain bookseller in the UK that had indie sensibilities (you really had to love books, this wasn't just retail) Meg Rossoff (sp?) wrote a column in The Times calling all the staff of the company useless and unknowledgeable. All of us apparently we're corporate Morlocks. First thing we all did when we read it, was remove her books from the shelves, ones we had been happily recommending to customers. Penguin made her write a grovelling apology to the company, which was great but we didn't recommend her books any more. So first step for indies and frankly any bricks and mortar book shops is to remove this guy's books and send them straight back to the publisher. Actually that's all the steps, abjure him entirely. His name is unfamiliar to me here as a bookseller in an indie bookshop but you can bet I'm going to remember him now. Good luck getting anyone to agree to host your reading or signing; well done for having just made the job of your publisher's sales force, marketing and publicity even harder; congrats on clogging up your editors inbox. Just a massive middle aged white male round of applause for the dumb arsed short-sightedness of what I am sure was a riveting article. You were reviewing James Patterson mate, it's not that complicated.
Can’t tell you how many times a reader has told me they found my books because of an enthusiastic indie bookseller and a shelf talker. I am grateful every time. Like this is such a strange stance to take? I’m lucky to have many fantastic indies in the metro Detroit area. Sidetrack Bookshop, Bookbeat, 27th Letter books, Inscribe books. May their pillows always be cold, may they find 20 dollars on the ground, etc etc.
One of my favorite indie bookstore stories — I was browsing at Books of Wonder while waiting for my turn in a signing line, and a bookseller hand-sold me a copy of Mark Oshiro's ANGER IS A GIFT, then walked me over to Mark (who was attending the event) to have them sign & personalize the book for me. It's a treasured possession now, not just because the book itself is stunning, but because of the story that accompanies its purchase.
This was a great piece, Nicole. Thank you for writing it!
White Whale Books in Pittsburgh, PA has been my favorite independent bookstore so far, but I have yet to find one I didn’t like. They always have a mix of big-name authors and local authors on their shelves as well as a great selection of essay collections and memoirs. Of course, having a coffee, beer, & wine bar inside the store certainly doesn’t lose them any points. The thing that first drew me in, and keeps me coming back, though, are the events they hold; they bring new authors and New York Times bestselling authors to Pittsburgh regularly, hosting conversations and book readings frequently.
I had a book release a couple weeks ago, and I got to spend some time at some great bookstores that hosted events for me. There is nothing in the world like the enthusiasm that indie booksellers have for books. They’re not just selling you a grill brush; they are passionate about what they read and love—and that’s not something you can type into a search bar. As you’ve said, the joy in indie bookstores is the discovery of a book you didn’t even know to look for.
Anyway, check out Mostly Books in Tucson, AZ, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ, and The Ripped Bodice in LA. They’re all fantastic.
Imagine not being able to buy a grill brush in a bookstore. What a travesty?
I am biased, of course, since I work in an indie, but I have loved bookstores my entire life. I love seeing books I may never have heard of. I found a staff pick of The Story of the Hundred Promises by Neil Cochrane, a Beauty & the Beast retelling with queer and trans characters from a tiny publisher, at Politics & Prose while visiting friends in DC. I never would have found this book on Amazon in a million years.
As a kid vacationing in the Outer Banks, I loved visiting the Island Bookstore. I found so many fantasy titles there that didn't pop up in the Borders or B&N in Richmond. So then, as an adult, I ended up working there for several summers! And then, when my own books came out, I got to sell them in that shop! It all came around full circle (and selling my own books -- usually to someone who had no idea I was the author and would bring it to the counter asking "Do you know anything about this?" -- never got old 😂).
Jesus, WHO would buy from Amazon when they work ACROSS FROM THE HARVARD BOOKSTORE??? I remember walking there in a snowstorm in college because the new Best American Short Stories collection was out and I needed a reward.
I adore Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, IN. It’s so cozy, welcoming, and well-curated. I bought Fable by Adrienne Young there back at the beginning of the year, when the sprayed-edged paperback had just come out. And in June, they hosted Ashley Poston at a nearby theater where I bought a signed copy of her newest book and got to listen to her chat with the bookshop owner!
Big shout-out to Books and Books in Coral Gables, Florida. found some great books for myself and family, got to listen to Roxane Gay speak, got meet and hug Marjorie Liu…it’s so good it’s gotten me to voluntarily drive to MIAMI from Ft. Lauderdale, multiple times. This is not a small thing, especially when you are prone to easily getting lost and are terrified of parallel parking.
I can't even fathom thinking of bookstores, indies especially, as being wastes of space. When I lived in Boston as a student, I spent probably 90% of my weekends going from bookstore to bookstore literally just be there, to explore books, even when I couldn't buy new ones. And that feeling of discovering unexpected books I've never heard of before—it's one of the best things ever. Not to even mention all the events held at bookstores; I love Trident in Boston because of all their community events and the energy of the staff, and Brookline Booksmith holds so many signings etc. that are great. I picked up Swordspoint (Kushner) off a staff recommendation from Brookline Books and loved it; never would have heard of it otherwise. I picked up Archive Undying from Trident on a whim and it's definitely one of my favorites of the year—it's an odd book with beautiful prose, but the online ratings (unfortunately) aren't great. If I only ever shopped by other people's thoughts, I wouldn't have discovered it.
I remember discovering City of Thieves by David Benioff at Oblong -- a book that I dearly love. It was a Staff Pick and, like most, led me to pick up a book that I would not have picked up on my own. That type of discovery NEVER happens at Ama$%#. Thank you for this!
Anytime I do an author event at an indie bookstore, I always pick up a new book for my kid with the explicit intention of stumbling across something I've never heard of. I was recently on an author panel for Bookstore Romance Day at Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, and was delighted to find We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang on a display. It's her new favorite and one we love reading as a family at bedtime. I also frequently work with Bluebird Bookstop in Crozet, VA, where we unexpectedly got Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler and Loren Long, another household favorite. Both stores house incredible curated collections with passionate staff to recommend new books. My career as an author is made unimaginably better just from a pure morale standpoint by the wonderful humans at these stores. They make me feel like my books actually matter. But, you know, grill brushes?
I haven't read Menand's piece, but from the description it just sounds dumb. If Louis Menand prefers to buy books on Amazon to going to a bookstore, nobody's going to stop him. Amazon and other online booksellers have their place -- they offer opportunities to those who don't live near a bookstore, or who need something on short notice, or who simply can't find what they are looking for at a brick-and-mortar store (and, of course, some people really do need grill brushes). And big chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble also have their place (though I miss the days, old that I am, when B&N displayed more books than non-book items), primarily that they are large enough to carry things that most indies don't have the space for (like the road atlas I needed for a recent trip). But for a reader, bookstores (even the chain stores) are just wonderful places to spend time, browsing, reading, chatting, and sometimes even buying. And for children, bookstores can be transformative spaces, opening worlds to them that they have no other experience of (libraries serve the same purpose, of course, but they have their own challenges in the current political climate). So, are independent bookstores "a waste of space"? Depends on what you would be using the space for otherwise. Another big box superstore? A disposable clothing emporium? A twee "shoppe" to buy overpriced cupcakes? Given the choice, I would opt for the indie bookstore. Menand can always just pull down his blinds and turn on his computer.
When my first three books came out it was an independent bookstore—Clinton Book Shop in Clinton, NJ—who graciously hosted the launch events for an unheard of author with a small press book. Over the years I’ve been lucky to do signings and events at so many amazing indies. They are magical places staffed by stellar people. I feel bad for people who don’t like bookstores. They are truly missing out.
When I worked for a chain bookseller in the UK that had indie sensibilities (you really had to love books, this wasn't just retail) Meg Rossoff (sp?) wrote a column in The Times calling all the staff of the company useless and unknowledgeable. All of us apparently we're corporate Morlocks. First thing we all did when we read it, was remove her books from the shelves, ones we had been happily recommending to customers. Penguin made her write a grovelling apology to the company, which was great but we didn't recommend her books any more. So first step for indies and frankly any bricks and mortar book shops is to remove this guy's books and send them straight back to the publisher. Actually that's all the steps, abjure him entirely. His name is unfamiliar to me here as a bookseller in an indie bookshop but you can bet I'm going to remember him now. Good luck getting anyone to agree to host your reading or signing; well done for having just made the job of your publisher's sales force, marketing and publicity even harder; congrats on clogging up your editors inbox. Just a massive middle aged white male round of applause for the dumb arsed short-sightedness of what I am sure was a riveting article. You were reviewing James Patterson mate, it's not that complicated.
Can’t tell you how many times a reader has told me they found my books because of an enthusiastic indie bookseller and a shelf talker. I am grateful every time. Like this is such a strange stance to take? I’m lucky to have many fantastic indies in the metro Detroit area. Sidetrack Bookshop, Bookbeat, 27th Letter books, Inscribe books. May their pillows always be cold, may they find 20 dollars on the ground, etc etc.
One of my favorite indie bookstore stories — I was browsing at Books of Wonder while waiting for my turn in a signing line, and a bookseller hand-sold me a copy of Mark Oshiro's ANGER IS A GIFT, then walked me over to Mark (who was attending the event) to have them sign & personalize the book for me. It's a treasured possession now, not just because the book itself is stunning, but because of the story that accompanies its purchase.
This was a great piece, Nicole. Thank you for writing it!
White Whale Books in Pittsburgh, PA has been my favorite independent bookstore so far, but I have yet to find one I didn’t like. They always have a mix of big-name authors and local authors on their shelves as well as a great selection of essay collections and memoirs. Of course, having a coffee, beer, & wine bar inside the store certainly doesn’t lose them any points. The thing that first drew me in, and keeps me coming back, though, are the events they hold; they bring new authors and New York Times bestselling authors to Pittsburgh regularly, hosting conversations and book readings frequently.
I had a book release a couple weeks ago, and I got to spend some time at some great bookstores that hosted events for me. There is nothing in the world like the enthusiasm that indie booksellers have for books. They’re not just selling you a grill brush; they are passionate about what they read and love—and that’s not something you can type into a search bar. As you’ve said, the joy in indie bookstores is the discovery of a book you didn’t even know to look for.
Anyway, check out Mostly Books in Tucson, AZ, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ, and The Ripped Bodice in LA. They’re all fantastic.
Imagine not being able to buy a grill brush in a bookstore. What a travesty?
I am biased, of course, since I work in an indie, but I have loved bookstores my entire life. I love seeing books I may never have heard of. I found a staff pick of The Story of the Hundred Promises by Neil Cochrane, a Beauty & the Beast retelling with queer and trans characters from a tiny publisher, at Politics & Prose while visiting friends in DC. I never would have found this book on Amazon in a million years.
As a kid vacationing in the Outer Banks, I loved visiting the Island Bookstore. I found so many fantasy titles there that didn't pop up in the Borders or B&N in Richmond. So then, as an adult, I ended up working there for several summers! And then, when my own books came out, I got to sell them in that shop! It all came around full circle (and selling my own books -- usually to someone who had no idea I was the author and would bring it to the counter asking "Do you know anything about this?" -- never got old 😂).
Jesus, WHO would buy from Amazon when they work ACROSS FROM THE HARVARD BOOKSTORE??? I remember walking there in a snowstorm in college because the new Best American Short Stories collection was out and I needed a reward.
A veritable mine filled with gem stones and he's loading his bag from the coal merchant.
I adore Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, IN. It’s so cozy, welcoming, and well-curated. I bought Fable by Adrienne Young there back at the beginning of the year, when the sprayed-edged paperback had just come out. And in June, they hosted Ashley Poston at a nearby theater where I bought a signed copy of her newest book and got to listen to her chat with the bookshop owner!
Big shout-out to Books and Books in Coral Gables, Florida. found some great books for myself and family, got to listen to Roxane Gay speak, got meet and hug Marjorie Liu…it’s so good it’s gotten me to voluntarily drive to MIAMI from Ft. Lauderdale, multiple times. This is not a small thing, especially when you are prone to easily getting lost and are terrified of parallel parking.
I can't even fathom thinking of bookstores, indies especially, as being wastes of space. When I lived in Boston as a student, I spent probably 90% of my weekends going from bookstore to bookstore literally just be there, to explore books, even when I couldn't buy new ones. And that feeling of discovering unexpected books I've never heard of before—it's one of the best things ever. Not to even mention all the events held at bookstores; I love Trident in Boston because of all their community events and the energy of the staff, and Brookline Booksmith holds so many signings etc. that are great. I picked up Swordspoint (Kushner) off a staff recommendation from Brookline Books and loved it; never would have heard of it otherwise. I picked up Archive Undying from Trident on a whim and it's definitely one of my favorites of the year—it's an odd book with beautiful prose, but the online ratings (unfortunately) aren't great. If I only ever shopped by other people's thoughts, I wouldn't have discovered it.
I remember discovering City of Thieves by David Benioff at Oblong -- a book that I dearly love. It was a Staff Pick and, like most, led me to pick up a book that I would not have picked up on my own. That type of discovery NEVER happens at Ama$%#. Thank you for this!
Anytime I do an author event at an indie bookstore, I always pick up a new book for my kid with the explicit intention of stumbling across something I've never heard of. I was recently on an author panel for Bookstore Romance Day at Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, and was delighted to find We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang on a display. It's her new favorite and one we love reading as a family at bedtime. I also frequently work with Bluebird Bookstop in Crozet, VA, where we unexpectedly got Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler and Loren Long, another household favorite. Both stores house incredible curated collections with passionate staff to recommend new books. My career as an author is made unimaginably better just from a pure morale standpoint by the wonderful humans at these stores. They make me feel like my books actually matter. But, you know, grill brushes?
i am obsessed with WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN. a++ pick.
You also have to wonder if Harvard Book Store has ever held an author event for Louis Menand.
according to some quick research done by my lovely editor steph, he's done two events with them. 😶
I haven't read Menand's piece, but from the description it just sounds dumb. If Louis Menand prefers to buy books on Amazon to going to a bookstore, nobody's going to stop him. Amazon and other online booksellers have their place -- they offer opportunities to those who don't live near a bookstore, or who need something on short notice, or who simply can't find what they are looking for at a brick-and-mortar store (and, of course, some people really do need grill brushes). And big chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble also have their place (though I miss the days, old that I am, when B&N displayed more books than non-book items), primarily that they are large enough to carry things that most indies don't have the space for (like the road atlas I needed for a recent trip). But for a reader, bookstores (even the chain stores) are just wonderful places to spend time, browsing, reading, chatting, and sometimes even buying. And for children, bookstores can be transformative spaces, opening worlds to them that they have no other experience of (libraries serve the same purpose, of course, but they have their own challenges in the current political climate). So, are independent bookstores "a waste of space"? Depends on what you would be using the space for otherwise. Another big box superstore? A disposable clothing emporium? A twee "shoppe" to buy overpriced cupcakes? Given the choice, I would opt for the indie bookstore. Menand can always just pull down his blinds and turn on his computer.