Where can you sit down in a cozy chair and peruse a few books until you decide what you want, or ask for recommendations, or discuss what you loved or hated about the latest book you read?
No, not the library, comfortable chairs being hard to come by among the stacks, and quiet is the byword. Where can you look for books that are keepers—the ones you want to re-read, or mark up, or share passages with a friend?
The answer is not Amazon.com; rather, it’s independent bookstores!
Colorado has a few wonderful ones, such as the Tattered Cover in Denver, which is one of the largest in the USA, and is now carrying my book at all three of its locations. In the small town of Salida, Colorado near where I live, we have The Book Haven, where I just had my book launch party for Voice of a Voyage: Rediscovering the World During a Ten-year Circumnavigation on August 17 with a full house of over fifty people. According to Lisa, the owner, I won the ‘prize’ for the most books sold in one evening at any of the many events she holds for authors! There are many other independent bookstores in Colorado and around the country.
The entrance to Salida’s ‘indie’ bookstore, The Book Haven.
I have nothing against Amazon; in fact I own a little stock in the company so am happy for it to succeed, and I do buy items online. But there’s nothing like wandering the shelves of an independent bookstore, settling into an overstuffed chair, and losing yourself in a variety of others’ words.
I know my blog is about travel, but what a great way to travel—through books about the world.
How about your state? Tell me about your favorite bookstore.