INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES
Where would we readers be, without independent bookstores? Where would we writers be?
So many bookstores have brought me great pleasure and helped develop my tastes. I still remember the bookstore in one arm of Grand Central Station, where I bought A Portrait of the Artist, for our high school English class. (In a few minutes I'd be sitting in a New Haven Railroad car, having a Joyce-worthy epiphany about how literature can express life as we live it.) And the bookstore in New Caanan, CT, where I bought my first copy of Ulysses, during college. And the Booksmith in Brookline (still in business!), where I bought The Sleepwalkers, also in college. And the bookstore in an arcade in downtown Cape Town in the 70's, which had so many surprising books. I bought JR there, and did not buy George Jackson's Prison Letters, though I was delighted that it had evaded the South African censors. (I was writing a novel with some scenes set in San Quentin, but I figured that someone else there might find a better use of that book.)
Independent bookstores are a treasure that we shouldn't take for granted. They're an endangered part of our literary ecosystem. The large online discount store based in Seattle is doing more damage to local booksellers than the national bookstore chains ever did, and that is a deliberate part of their corporate strategy. That company does not love books, which to them are just another commodity. I don't buy books (or anything else) from them, and if you feel that books are not a commodity, but rather something precious to our culture, I urge you to boycott them as well.
Here's a sampling of independent bookstores I've visited, in some cases often. They deserve to be celebrated.
Where would we readers be, without independent bookstores? Where would we writers be?
So many bookstores have brought me great pleasure and helped develop my tastes. I still remember the bookstore in one arm of Grand Central Station, where I bought A Portrait of the Artist, for our high school English class. (In a few minutes I'd be sitting in a New Haven Railroad car, having a Joyce-worthy epiphany about how literature can express life as we live it.) And the bookstore in New Caanan, CT, where I bought my first copy of Ulysses, during college. And the Booksmith in Brookline (still in business!), where I bought The Sleepwalkers, also in college. And the bookstore in an arcade in downtown Cape Town in the 70's, which had so many surprising books. I bought JR there, and did not buy George Jackson's Prison Letters, though I was delighted that it had evaded the South African censors. (I was writing a novel with some scenes set in San Quentin, but I figured that someone else there might find a better use of that book.)
Independent bookstores are a treasure that we shouldn't take for granted. They're an endangered part of our literary ecosystem. The large online discount store based in Seattle is doing more damage to local booksellers than the national bookstore chains ever did, and that is a deliberate part of their corporate strategy. That company does not love books, which to them are just another commodity. I don't buy books (or anything else) from them, and if you feel that books are not a commodity, but rather something precious to our culture, I urge you to boycott them as well.
Here's a sampling of independent bookstores I've visited, in some cases often. They deserve to be celebrated.
Looking Glass Bookstore, RIP
Looking Glass Bookstore was my favorite bookstore in Portland, and that's saying something. It had an outstanding fiction section, with a wide variety of new and international fiction, both in its original incarnation in downtown Portland, and in its caboose location in Sellwood, where it moved to avoid a rent increase.
Bill Kloster and Katie Raditz, the first owners, and Karen Anna, the later owner, have terrific taste in literature. It was always a treat to browse there. Bill knew my tastes so well that he never recommended a book to me that I didn't like. (And all it took was a raised eyebrow from him, for me to put a book back on the shelf.)
I bought hundreds of books there over decades, maybe over a thousand. But Looking Glass was a victim of the evil Seattle online discount store. Looking Glass closed in March 2011. It was a sad day for readers in Portland.
Fortunately, several other excellent bookstores survive. The downtown space where Looking Glass was located has been empty since it moved.
Looking Glass Bookstore was my favorite bookstore in Portland, and that's saying something. It had an outstanding fiction section, with a wide variety of new and international fiction, both in its original incarnation in downtown Portland, and in its caboose location in Sellwood, where it moved to avoid a rent increase.
Bill Kloster and Katie Raditz, the first owners, and Karen Anna, the later owner, have terrific taste in literature. It was always a treat to browse there. Bill knew my tastes so well that he never recommended a book to me that I didn't like. (And all it took was a raised eyebrow from him, for me to put a book back on the shelf.)
I bought hundreds of books there over decades, maybe over a thousand. But Looking Glass was a victim of the evil Seattle online discount store. Looking Glass closed in March 2011. It was a sad day for readers in Portland.
Fortunately, several other excellent bookstores survive. The downtown space where Looking Glass was located has been empty since it moved.
Mother Foucault's, Portland OR
The first time I entered Mother Foucault's, I thought I'd revisited my college dorm room. Well, with a lot more books than I'd had, but it seemed like all my old ones were there. This is an unusual used-book store, as Craig (pictured) refuses to buy bad books. There are many treasures here. Recent purchases include Axel's Castle, by Edmund Wilson, The Years with Laura Diaz, by Carlos Fuentes, and a biography of Steve Biko.
The first time I entered Mother Foucault's, I thought I'd revisited my college dorm room. Well, with a lot more books than I'd had, but it seemed like all my old ones were there. This is an unusual used-book store, as Craig (pictured) refuses to buy bad books. There are many treasures here. Recent purchases include Axel's Castle, by Edmund Wilson, The Years with Laura Diaz, by Carlos Fuentes, and a biography of Steve Biko.
Powell's, Portland OR
Powell's is a great bookstore, an important part of Portland's cultural life, and a national institution, a great alternative for online shopping. This photo is of the mother ship; another Powell's outlet is a short walk from our house. We have friends who chose their house because it was within walking distance of Powell's. One can get lost in the mother ship all day, especially since they have a fine coffee shop. I rarely get past the enormous fiction section.
Powell's is a great bookstore, an important part of Portland's cultural life, and a national institution, a great alternative for online shopping. This photo is of the mother ship; another Powell's outlet is a short walk from our house. We have friends who chose their house because it was within walking distance of Powell's. One can get lost in the mother ship all day, especially since they have a fine coffee shop. I rarely get past the enormous fiction section.
Broadway Books, Portland
A great contributor to the literary community in Portland, sponsor of many readings, and particularly supportive of local writers. When my mother lived a couple blocks away, I hung out there more often, but it's still one of my favorite bookstores. The most recent book I bought there was Tracy Daugherty's The Last Love Song.
A great contributor to the literary community in Portland, sponsor of many readings, and particularly supportive of local writers. When my mother lived a couple blocks away, I hung out there more often, but it's still one of my favorite bookstores. The most recent book I bought there was Tracy Daugherty's The Last Love Song.
Photo by Diana A.
Bloomsbury Books, Ashland, OR
A superb bookstore, the perfect place to while away hours in Ashland, between plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They have a large fiction section, which has given me many great novels over the years. My most recent purchase was Thinking the Twentieth Century, by Tony Judt and Timothy Snyder. They also have a good selection of current affairs books. The bookstore has a coffee house upstairs, a delightful place to sit, either inside or on the back deck. We attend plays at OSF most years, and visit Bloomsbury two or three times on every trip.
A superb bookstore, the perfect place to while away hours in Ashland, between plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They have a large fiction section, which has given me many great novels over the years. My most recent purchase was Thinking the Twentieth Century, by Tony Judt and Timothy Snyder. They also have a good selection of current affairs books. The bookstore has a coffee house upstairs, a delightful place to sit, either inside or on the back deck. We attend plays at OSF most years, and visit Bloomsbury two or three times on every trip.
Photo by Maya Muir
Paulina Springs Bookstore, Sisters OR
The best bookstore in Central Oregon, with an extensive fiction section and a broad selection of books of many types. Years ago, I ran out of books on a camping trip, and found John Nichols' Milagro Beanfield War there, a great book to read when out in the country. More recently I bought Zia Haider Rahman's In The Light of What We Know.
The best bookstore in Central Oregon, with an extensive fiction section and a broad selection of books of many types. Years ago, I ran out of books on a camping trip, and found John Nichols' Milagro Beanfield War there, a great book to read when out in the country. More recently I bought Zia Haider Rahman's In The Light of What We Know.
Photo by Maya Muir
Book Loft, Enterprise OR
The finest bookstore in the northeast corner of Oregon. A true refuge. On my most recent trip there, I bought James Baldwin's Another Country.
The finest bookstore in the northeast corner of Oregon. A true refuge. On my most recent trip there, I bought James Baldwin's Another Country.
Photo by Morgan Comandich
Cloud and Leaf Bookstore, Manzanita OR
A small bookstore with a great fiction selection. One of the best bookstores on the Oregon Coast. On my last trip there, I bought Pynchon's Slow Learner. I don't read many story collections, even by my favorite writers, but I'd learned that he'd written an intro to this collection, circa 1984, in which he discusses his early writings. Maybe I'll read some of the stories one day.
A small bookstore with a great fiction selection. One of the best bookstores on the Oregon Coast. On my last trip there, I bought Pynchon's Slow Learner. I don't read many story collections, even by my favorite writers, but I'd learned that he'd written an intro to this collection, circa 1984, in which he discusses his early writings. Maybe I'll read some of the stories one day.
