Common Places - U

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

U  Highly acclaimed and declared the oldest independent bookstore in Dublin, Books Upstairs (I couldn’t resist!) is just as described; upstairs, in a vintage Georgian building that “feels like a house” as you wander the well-stocked rooms. With an emphasis on humanities, especially Irish literature, poetry, culture, and history, Books Upstairs proudly offers the best in Irish and international literature. There are bargains to be found in the basement. Friendly, dedicated staff members are eager to assist in any way  - even if it’s only to steer you to the narrow staircase that leads to a lovely literary café that serves banana bread and so much more in an authentic tea-time atmosphere. Be advised there is no Wi-Fi or phones allowed because they encourage engaging conversation or tranquil reading.  However, (groan) do check ahead for current hours of operation as they’ve been under strict pandemic restrictions.

“Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Common Places - R

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

R    RiverRun Books has a website for ordering books and gift cards, but they’d much rather you come on in and “browse and buy” hand-picked new and used books at their store located at 32 Daniel Street in Portsmouth, NH. They are open full-time again and are ready to recommend your next favorite book. They even have their own publishing project called Piscataqua Press – in case you’ve written someone else’s next favorite book ;-) Oh! If by chance you’ve worn out your old typewriter, they’ll sell you a new one or repair the old one.

 

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write” ~ Saul Bellow

Common Places - Q

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

Q   Self-described as a Giftery, Bookery, and a Chocolaterie, The Queen Bee Bookstore in the tight-knit community of Ogden, Utah supports its local schools and the Treehouse Children’s Museum. In addition to selling consigned wares by local artists and artisans, and hosting author events and chocolate tastings. Yes, you read that right, chocolate tastings!

 

Thought to be the oldest library in the world, al Qarawiyyin Library in Fez, Morroco first opened in 859 CE as part of a complex comprised of a library, a university, and a Mosque.  Much later, the library was closed for several decades to all but a few scholars and students of the adjacent Qarawiyyin University due to extensive water damage by rain run-off from the roof of the next-door Mosque (also named Qarawiyyin). When renovations began in 2012, an underground canal was built below the floors to assuage the water problem. A new Lab was added to assist in the refurbishment; treat, preserve and digitize a few of the oldest texts - some written on camel skin! Much to the surprise and delight of scholars and workers alike, secret rooms and ancient artifacts were discovered during the lengthy renovation. While restoration efforts continue, one entire wing opened to the public in 2017, featuring an exhibition room and a café.

 

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin without even opening them” ~ Mark Twain

Common Places - O

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

O   Voted the best Locally Owned (Independent) Bookstore in uptown New Orleans in 2020, Octavia Books remains open (with restrictions) and ready to entertain with numerous events, and inspire with endless choices for every passionate reader. Quiet areas are provided to enhance the experience of serendipitous pleasures found in the company of books. Extensive browsing is encouraged!

“Bookstores, like libraries, are the physical manifestation of the wide world’s longest, most thrilling conversation” ~ Richard Russo

Communal Places - K

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

K  When two writers needed a place to complete their manuscripts, the logical solution for them was to create one - in the form of the King’s English Bookshop. They’ve been “matching books to readers since 1977” and enjoy a strong and beloved presence in their Salt Lake City, UT community. They host numerous events, accept consignments (check guidelines) and remind us that Independent Bookstore Day is April 24^th!

 

“No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting” ~ Mary Wortley Montagu

 

Communal Places - J

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

J   The national landmark located at 425 Avenue of the Americas, now known as the Jefferson Market Library, carries more than just stories within. Having once housed (only) female prisoners in an adjacent section that is now a garden, and later, a courthouse before becoming the iconic bequest to public literacy it is today, the building itself was the subject of chronicles whispered. The atmospheric essence of this edifice, alone, is enough to entice readers in, while the remarkable architecture, complete with Victorian Gothic embellishments such as decorative gables, pinnacles, and towering stained-glass windows, seems to attest to claims of other-worldly presences. For example, nighttime shadows are reportedly seen around the intricately redesigned clock tower - formerly a fire lookout tower (circa 1833). A phantom woman waves from the balcony above the expansive courtroom (now the adult reading room) and fleeting visages of ghosts have occurred in the garden.  

 

Jefferson Market Library, Greenwich Village, NY

Anyone up for an adventure – and a good book?

 

“The library is inhabited by creatures that come out of the pages at night” ~ Isabel Allende

Communal Places - I

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

I.  Now located on West Lovers Lane in Dallas, Texas, Interabang Books takes its unique name from the symbol that combines the question mark and the exclamation point. Owner Nancy Perot knows a bit about what those symbols represent, as well as the value of perseverance having the original bookshop, which opened in 2017, destroyed by a tornado in 2019, followed by the recent pandemic. Nonetheless, the store once again thrives in its new location, offering hand-picked selections of books and gifts for adults and kids. Events include Children’s Book of the Month subscriptions, in-person book signings, online author, publisher, and bookseller chats, videos, and personalized reading recommendations. They’ve temporarily discontinued the consignment program, but it’s something to keep an eye on.

If anyone knows how to create an Interabang symbol on a computer, do tell ;-)

 

“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Communal Places - H

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

H   The Haunted Bookshop in Iowa City is the second oldest secondhand bookstore in town. And while it’s not really haunted, the walls of ten well-appointed rooms of the historic Wentz House on Gilbert Street are lined with shelves and comfortable chairs, and feature over fifty thousand books, some first editions and signed, in eighty different subject areas, in addition to puzzles, games and toys. Events include book-signings, read-aloud sessions, puppet shows, and spontaneous performances by visiting piano players.  Friendly staff, including several feline tour guides, are on hand to help with any questions you may have.

 

Now, this is my favorite kind of bookstore! How about you?

“In ancient times cats were worshipped as Gods; they have not forgotten this.” ~ Terry Pratchett

Communal Places - F

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

F  Faulkner House Books – Pirate Alley, New Orleans

This charming bookstore in the heart of the French Quarter is located on the ground floor of the home where William Faulkner lived while completing his first novel in 1925. *Masks and Contact Tracing required

 

Do you own any books by William Faulkner?

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore” ~ William Faulkner

Communal Places - E

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

E   The Eclipse Bookstore in Bellingham, Wa, is a veritable oasis for book lovers.  Two stories of unique books, used and rare, are carefully shelved - floor to ceiling - while low stacks on polished floors patiently await perusal and purchase or a more visible place on a shelf once one becomes available. Soft music complements the atmosphere from the ground-floor view of Bellingham Bay to welcoming reading nooks down below. Leave your cares and your timepiece in the car; the visit may take a while. But it will be well worth it!

 

 

What is the title of the oldest book you own?

 

“Books to the Ceiling. Books to the sky. My pile of books is a mile high. How I love them! How I need them! I’ll have a long beard by the time I read them.” ~ Arnold Lobel

Communal Places - D

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

D.  A rolling cart (for purchases) and an overnight bag (ha!) might be in order for a visit to the Dickson Street Bookshop in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The sheer volume of used and out-of-print books is a staggering delight for any reader. Setting aside ample time for browsing is highly recommended! The Doomsday Coffee & Roasterie is one of several nearby restaurants and is only a two-minute drive away.

 

Do you like to work or read in Coffee shop settings?

 

“There is no Frigate like a book to take us lands away” ~ Emily Dickinson

Communal Places - B

 

Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts

B  Selling gently used books and Craft brews cleverly named after books, the good folks at Books & Brews (Carmel, Indiana) invite us to “disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other” in an atmosphere that encourages positive engagement for scholars, gamers, music lovers – and of course, readers!  Books & Brews accepts any and all donations, and are proud partners with Indy Reads “$3 Books. Every location. Every Day.”  And kids eat for free ;-) Check out their website for a location near you!

Do you have a favorite place to read and converse?

“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think ‘I’m not going to make it’ but you laugh inside, remembering all the times you’ve felt that way” ~ Charles Bukowski

Communal Places - A

 April A to Z 2021 Challenge

Communal Places

For Literary Enthusiasts

A

Alabama Booksmith is the product of the life work, the ultimate dream, really, of a family of booksellers from an incredibly long line of them. Strategically facing Alabama’s busiest highway from a tree-lined backroad, The Alabama Booksmith offers exceptional service with a distinctive business model that enhances the unique experience of browsing a bookstore where every cover is visible (how else can we judge, right?) and every book is signed! *Showroom is currently closed, but you can take advantage of their full-service website and parking lot pick-up.

“If you’re always trying to be normal you’ll never know how amazing you can be” ~  Maya Angelou