Sunday, March 08, 2009
Read12
Hi Tim,
I'll bite at your request. Well played my friend. Read12 is a great idea for a website. Actually, I'm going to give you seven books and five bookstores that excel at atmosphere, selection, and bookselling prowess. All are great places to discover literature. And all of them have websites where your readers can purchase books online and support independent bookstores.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - This is a book that seems to go over well with a wide variety of ages and interests. Some people love the scifi aspect of it, but a lot of non-scifi fans really get into the messages about leadership, teamwork, and working toward a larger goal. Something about the story seems to resonate with almost everyone. I have a few good friends who count this as one of their life-changing books in their reading trajectories.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780812550702
On Writing by Stephen King - I want to recommend one King book, because so so many people dig his books. He works especially well with people who aren't used to reading a lot of books. But I really admire this one, his memoir about writing. The opening autobiographical memories key in on his early experiences and how it led to his writer life. The later chapters with advice for writers are clean and articulate. And I think a lot of the material is useful to readers to see how a book is put together.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780671024253
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - This is a fun book. It is whimsical and showcases the power of good comedic writing. I judge a lot of potential friends by whether they love this book or not.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780345453747
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn - A book at the top of my "Books that Changed My Life" list. Read at the right age at the right moment, Ishmael can forever alter how you see the larger world around us. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring will always be known as a critical text for the environmental movement, Ishmael should be a central book in the rising sustainable/green living movement.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780553375404
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - A great novel by one of the most skilled writers practicing today.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312282998
Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley - my favorite personal finance book and one that is very applicable this year. I wish more people would use books to educate themselves financially. One of the key elements of increasing reading nationally is for people to elevate their financial net worth so they have more time and freedom to read, and more disposable income to purchase good books.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780671015206
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (Finca Vigia edition) - I was skeptical of Hemingway. I knew all the stereotypes and was turned off by the macho bullfighter in Africa with large guns and cocktails who shot people in the Spanish Civil War persona. Then I took a college seminar and read this book. I can still flip open to a story and get lost in the clean, simple writing that somehow creates breathtaking vistas of human experience. Amazing.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780684843322
Tattered Cover LoDo store (lower downtown) Denver, CO - this is the store I grew up in and where my love of independent bookstores began. I have many author event memories. Library green carpet, gorgeous floor to ceiling bookshelves, the entire place exudes everything that is great about book culture.
http://www.tatteredcover.com/
Wild Rumpus Minneapolis, MN - the best children's bookstore I have ever seen. The front door has a smaller door inset, for kids to enter. Inside there are cages of lizards, spiders, and birds mixed among the bookshelves. The stars, though, are the resident chickens (Elvis and Priscilla) that wander the aisle. The staff knows their children's lit and can connect any reader with an appropriate title. Board books through Young Adult, with plenty for adults to discover too.
http://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/
R.J. Julia Booksellers Madison, CT - The inventory here is carefully chosen. I always discover new novels I want to read. This is my image of the quintessential New England bookstore.
http://www.rjjulia.com/
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, WA - In Seattle, booklovers have to make the pilgrimmage to Elliot Bay Book Company in downtown Seattle. It has one of the best bookstore atmospheres in the country. But me, I actually prefer what is going on up north at Third Place Books. It's built around the sociologist concept of "Third Places." The idea is that everyone needs three places to have a balanced, happy life: your first place is home with family, the second place is work - what you do, and the "third place" is a community-oriented public space for you to interact with neighbors. This idea is what drew me to work at the store for two years starting in 2001. Third Place Books has a large "commons" area in between the bookstore and the restaurants. Groups congregate, live music is performed on weekends, and anytime people are encouraged to come and read, study, talk with each other. A busy night here can be a magical experience.
http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/
Tatnuck Booksellers Worcester, MA - Great space, tons of books, fun cafe. I could spend a whole day at Tatnuck. I have a lot of admiration for the way they renovated an industrial space into a book center.
http://www.tatnuck.com/
I have more favorite bookstores listed here: http://www.indiebound.org/users/bookdad
Take care,
Jay
|
Go to Top of Page
I'll bite at your request. Well played my friend. Read12 is a great idea for a website. Actually, I'm going to give you seven books and five bookstores that excel at atmosphere, selection, and bookselling prowess. All are great places to discover literature. And all of them have websites where your readers can purchase books online and support independent bookstores.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - This is a book that seems to go over well with a wide variety of ages and interests. Some people love the scifi aspect of it, but a lot of non-scifi fans really get into the messages about leadership, teamwork, and working toward a larger goal. Something about the story seems to resonate with almost everyone. I have a few good friends who count this as one of their life-changing books in their reading trajectories.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780812550702
On Writing by Stephen King - I want to recommend one King book, because so so many people dig his books. He works especially well with people who aren't used to reading a lot of books. But I really admire this one, his memoir about writing. The opening autobiographical memories key in on his early experiences and how it led to his writer life. The later chapters with advice for writers are clean and articulate. And I think a lot of the material is useful to readers to see how a book is put together.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780671024253
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - This is a fun book. It is whimsical and showcases the power of good comedic writing. I judge a lot of potential friends by whether they love this book or not.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780345453747
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn - A book at the top of my "Books that Changed My Life" list. Read at the right age at the right moment, Ishmael can forever alter how you see the larger world around us. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring will always be known as a critical text for the environmental movement, Ishmael should be a central book in the rising sustainable/green living movement.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780553375404
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - A great novel by one of the most skilled writers practicing today.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312282998
Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley - my favorite personal finance book and one that is very applicable this year. I wish more people would use books to educate themselves financially. One of the key elements of increasing reading nationally is for people to elevate their financial net worth so they have more time and freedom to read, and more disposable income to purchase good books.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780671015206
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (Finca Vigia edition) - I was skeptical of Hemingway. I knew all the stereotypes and was turned off by the macho bullfighter in Africa with large guns and cocktails who shot people in the Spanish Civil War persona. Then I took a college seminar and read this book. I can still flip open to a story and get lost in the clean, simple writing that somehow creates breathtaking vistas of human experience. Amazing.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780684843322
Tattered Cover LoDo store (lower downtown) Denver, CO - this is the store I grew up in and where my love of independent bookstores began. I have many author event memories. Library green carpet, gorgeous floor to ceiling bookshelves, the entire place exudes everything that is great about book culture.
http://www.tatteredcover.com/
Wild Rumpus Minneapolis, MN - the best children's bookstore I have ever seen. The front door has a smaller door inset, for kids to enter. Inside there are cages of lizards, spiders, and birds mixed among the bookshelves. The stars, though, are the resident chickens (Elvis and Priscilla) that wander the aisle. The staff knows their children's lit and can connect any reader with an appropriate title. Board books through Young Adult, with plenty for adults to discover too.
http://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/
R.J. Julia Booksellers Madison, CT - The inventory here is carefully chosen. I always discover new novels I want to read. This is my image of the quintessential New England bookstore.
http://www.rjjulia.com/
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, WA - In Seattle, booklovers have to make the pilgrimmage to Elliot Bay Book Company in downtown Seattle. It has one of the best bookstore atmospheres in the country. But me, I actually prefer what is going on up north at Third Place Books. It's built around the sociologist concept of "Third Places." The idea is that everyone needs three places to have a balanced, happy life: your first place is home with family, the second place is work - what you do, and the "third place" is a community-oriented public space for you to interact with neighbors. This idea is what drew me to work at the store for two years starting in 2001. Third Place Books has a large "commons" area in between the bookstore and the restaurants. Groups congregate, live music is performed on weekends, and anytime people are encouraged to come and read, study, talk with each other. A busy night here can be a magical experience.
http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/
Tatnuck Booksellers Worcester, MA - Great space, tons of books, fun cafe. I could spend a whole day at Tatnuck. I have a lot of admiration for the way they renovated an industrial space into a book center.
http://www.tatnuck.com/
I have more favorite bookstores listed here: http://www.indiebound.org/users/bookdad
Take care,
Jay
