Respite in the Stacks

Friends who have been through the worst of the fires tell me they are seeking quiet places to venture out again. I was in several bookstores over the past week, and they fit the bill perfectly.

It feels wonderful to get lost in a bookstore. You can leave your worries at the door and wander, drawn in by beautiful covers that adorn books on the front table, or inspired by a recommendation from enthusiastic staff readers. Maybe it’s the people who work in bookstores or the fact that I’m surrounded by curious people, but it always reminds me of discovering the library in my small New England town when I was a young girl. Book people “mind their Ps and Qs” and one can explore unfettered; though if you want to engage there are always enthusiastic booksellers willing to help you find what you are looking for - even if you don’t know what it is!

Indie bookstores have to carve a niche for themselves these days, and I’ve visited a few of them in the past week. Here’s what I learned.