Could You Live Somewhere Without A Bookstore?
Being on this island has me thinking...
Whenever I’m traveling, I’m always visiting bookstores. The Red Wheelbarrow in Paris. Atlantis Books in Santorini. Skylight Books in Los Angeles. Politics & Prose in DC and Bethany Beach Books in Deleware. I have collected favorites all around the world.
But every year when we travel to St. John in the Virgin Islands I have to lug all of my reading choices with me. There is a coffeeshop on the island near Starfish Market called Papaya Cafe that sells used books, and while it’s adorable, the stock is very unpredictable so I don’t always rely on it. Whenever I’m down here, I always think: I love it here so much, but could I live here? Without a true independent bookstore?
In the age of Amazon and Audible, you can access books no matter where you are. More often than not I find myself going into bookstores looking for specific books. And yet, I couldn’t live somewhere if it didn’t have an indie bookshop. Or at least a Barnes and Noble.
Here’s why: Without a bookstore, even the most beautiful places can feel devoid of culture and character. If there isn’t a place to gather and buy books, then you have to wonder if there is a strong culture of reading in that place at all.
But what about you? Have you chosen where you lived or could you ever move somewhere if there wasn’t a bookstore? Also, tell me about your favorite bookshop I’m always collecting names for when I visit your area xo.
We have a great library here in rural Montana but no bookshops within 90 miles. It’s a challenge. I buy a lot from Thriftbooks. Our library has put up Little Free Libraries all over town for visitors to pick up a book for free while they are here. Alas, most of the selection is paperback romances but I try and slip in a good one every once in awhile.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE The Red Wheelbarrow! In my view The Red Wheelbarrow and Librarie Galignani (the English language room in the back of the otherwise French store) are the best English-language bookstores in Paris. Shakespeare is fun for a glimpse but is such a victim of its own Instagram popularity, it's nearly impossible to shop for books. The only time I really enjoyed browsing Shakespeare was right after lockdown ended--we were living in Paris then but there was still no travel allowed from outside of the EU, so the store was quiet and browsable.
While we were living in Paris, our beloved neighborhood Books Inc closed. There are still a lot of amazing indie bookstores within 20 miles and a BN 5 miles away, but I miss having a terrific indie just five minutes away.