Books

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On this google map, I put a red dot for bookstores that I had purchased a book at. Keep in mind that it's still a work in progress and isn't comprehensive. Also, since public libraries have been quite formative in broadening my literary horizons, I put a green dot for those that I was a member of and checked books out from.

It's fun for me to look at my bookshelf and remember where my books came from. Some are gifts from friends. Some are products of travel. Some are from high school or college and are still filled with annotations (which often now seem so... naive and amateurish). A few are from amazon.com.

Essentially, what I have on my bookshelf is a neat little representation of who I am, both in terms of the books themselves, as well as where they came from.

In terms of my favorites...
Bookstores: City Lights, Shakespeare & Co. and Housing Works. These are three places at which you can actually pick a book off the shelf, read it, maybe even sit down or take a nap - and not feel rushed. As much as I love the Strand, I feel like I'm in some sort of a mad, hectic race when I'm there.

Libraries: Pitkin County Library (they have an unparalleled classical music section, complete with listening booths), the Philosophy Faculty in Oxford (so, so quiet) and my local branch at home, the Lynnwood Public Library.

But enough about me. What about you? Favorite bookstores? Favorite libraries? Feel free to comment.

[Also, if you haven't noticed, there are some links on the right side of this blog to great, unique independent bookstores and coffee shops.]