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parker_beyers's review
5.0
The guiding force for one of the best weekends of my life. A love letter to the literary forces of NYC. The art is beautiful, and you can tell the author knows damn well what she’s talking about. A bit pretentious at times, sure, but that’s sort of what I was looking for. I’ve always wanted to do a bookstore crawl, and thanks to this book, I got a sliver of what the city has to offer. In about two days I went to (and gained charming memories of):
1. Drama Book Shop
- The perfect store for any theater lover. Got a script copy of [b: The Play That Goes Wrong|23722065|The Play That Goes Wrong|Henry Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1421837623l/23722065._SY75_.jpg|43331608] for shits and giggles.
2. Book Off
- Japanese chain with lots of used and new books!
3. McNally Jackson Books
- Went to the Rockefeller branch. Absolutely beautiful layout in the store. Clutched a signed copy of [b: Shortcomings|227350|Shortcomings|Adrian Tomine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327891244l/227350._SX50_.jpg|3296544].
4. The Strand
- Spent over two hours wandering around here. It’s absolutely massive and the best place to get lost in. Finally bought [b: Time Is a Mother|58582927|Time Is a Mother|Ocean Vuong|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1626846358l/58582927._SY75_.jpg|91902199] after months of impulse control (for the sake of my wallet).
5. Alabaster Books
- I loveeeee the jazz music that plays while you browse. Stumbled on Black Apples, a poetry collection I’ve never heard of but can’t wait to dig into.
6. Forbidden Planet (not in book but spiritually fits)
- Super fun sci-fi/fantasy focused bookstore. Gave in and got a copy of [b: Children of Dune|44492286|Children of Dune (Dune, #3)|Frank Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564783201l/44492286._SY75_.jpg|3634573], which I’ll suffer through later this year.
7. Mercer Street Books and Records
- Had a rambling conversation with the head bookseller who really wanted me to buy his poetry. He kept ranting about the “tax man.” I eventually went with [b: Dwelling Song|382571|Dwelling Song Poems (The Contemporary Poetry Ser.)|Sally Keith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328809366l/382571._SY75_.jpg|372342], another unknown collection that called to me.
8. Dashwood Books
- Underground bookstore specializing in Japanese photo and art books. Got a small Polaroid collection for my sister, recommended by the bookseller (who is also the sweetest woman in the world).
9. Albertine
- By far the most aesthetic of all the bookstores. Incredibly French. The starry night sky that decorated the second floor ceiling is positively magical. Wish I spoke the language so I could justify buying a book, but here we are.
10. The Corner Bookstore
- Small but mighty. Saw a signed copy of [b: Same Bed Different Dreams|122993405|Same Bed Different Dreams|Ed Park|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677084246l/122993405._SY75_.jpg|144051457] that immediately caught my eye. Made one of the booksellers smile when I said it’s the kind of story I know I’ll love.
11. Shakespeare & Co.
- Not quite the Paris version, but still a great store. Love the Shakespeare drinks offered on the cafe menu.
All these stores, and I barely scratched the surface of what this book has to offer. I’m excited to return to this book and discover more in future trips.
Another fun anecdote is that Sharon Washington, one of the interviewees in this book, is a good friend of the people I stayed with during my trip. Small world, huh?
kendalljl's review
3.0
This was a fun one to help assuage my cabin fever from being cooped up in Brooklyn, but also had the unintended effect of making me anxious to get back out and explore the places Le-Tan mentions in the book (when they're open).
My mom brought me this book by way of my grandma's large collection in Florida, and I actually went to a talk with Le-Tan and a few independent bookstore owners back in the fall. She talked about the process of writing the book and interviewed the owners about running a bookstore in New York. It was fun to read about the people she had talked to and recognize them.
I definitely don't think you need to read this cover to cover, as she splits the book up into neighborhoods of Manhattan (sections for Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, the UWS, Harlem, etc.) and the rest of the boroughs — I believe each one except Staten Island gets its own section. I read it cover to cover because I have an unhealthy desire to finish the books I start, but I'll definitely refer back to it when I want to spend a hot summer Saturday exploring some air-conditioned bookstores.
The book is not just reviews of bookstores and libraries around the city — that would be fun for awhile, but might get repetitive. She adds in interviews with several authors, publishers, a bartender at McSorley's (a classic literary haunt), and a woman who grew up in a library's top floor apartment, since her dad was the custodian (second picture). Getting to run around a library after hours as a little 10-year-old is my dream.
I'd recommend this mostly for NY residents and booklovers (surprising, huh?) because I imagine it'd be a little less compelling if you don't live in the city.
My mom brought me this book by way of my grandma's large collection in Florida, and I actually went to a talk with Le-Tan and a few independent bookstore owners back in the fall. She talked about the process of writing the book and interviewed the owners about running a bookstore in New York. It was fun to read about the people she had talked to and recognize them.
I definitely don't think you need to read this cover to cover, as she splits the book up into neighborhoods of Manhattan (sections for Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, the UWS, Harlem, etc.) and the rest of the boroughs — I believe each one except Staten Island gets its own section. I read it cover to cover because I have an unhealthy desire to finish the books I start, but I'll definitely refer back to it when I want to spend a hot summer Saturday exploring some air-conditioned bookstores.
The book is not just reviews of bookstores and libraries around the city — that would be fun for awhile, but might get repetitive. She adds in interviews with several authors, publishers, a bartender at McSorley's (a classic literary haunt), and a woman who grew up in a library's top floor apartment, since her dad was the custodian (second picture). Getting to run around a library after hours as a little 10-year-old is my dream.
I'd recommend this mostly for NY residents and booklovers (surprising, huh?) because I imagine it'd be a little less compelling if you don't live in the city.
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