Happy Independent Bookstore Weekend!
We love a made-up holiday, especially one that happens in spring, just when you are craving a book to sit and read in a park filled with sunshine. What could possibly be better?
Luckily for everyone, there are plenty of bookstores holding events (or even sales?) all around New York this weekend, all in honor of this day where we all go and celebrate independent bookstores. In lieu of our regular bookstore deep dives, I instead want to share a list of events you can attend in honor of the holiday this weekend, all run by local bookstores.
First, however, I want to share my own bookstore story from today:
I had just finished reading Yvon Chounaird’s memoir/business manifesto Let My People Go Surfing. He is the founder of the specialty outdoor equipment company Patagonia and an example of someone running a business purely on his own terms. Patagonia, being staffed entirely by outdoor enthusiasts, has a remarkable commitment to the environment, and much of the work of explaining the environment-first business philosophy is first explaining why it’s so necessary. I felt weighed down (unoriginally, I’m afraid) by all of the things we are doing wrong for our natural home. I don’t think the issue needs any additional explanation here, but I’d point you to his book for an energetic read.
I had an hour or so to myself before I needed to get on a train, so I wandered to the local store (I was in my old neighborhood of Alexandria, VA, so deep in Miles’ territory). Still deep in the train of thought prompted by Yvon, I asked if they had any of John Muir’s essays. At the next register, another customer was asking for a specific translation of The Master and Margarita. All four of us began weighing the merits of different translators and discussing whether a book club should read the same one or different translations in order to compare notes (I suggested the second, largely because the incipient element of chaos is so exciting). That tiny bookstore did not have either of the books we asked for, but I was lifted by a brief moment of community.
I have recently begun defining community as the group of people towards whom you feel a degree of responsibility. I feel responsible toward the neighbors who share Morningside Park with me, so I am scrupulous about cleaning up after barbecues or showing up for community cleanup days. I feel responsible for my family, so I call them on birthdays and travel to see them. Nearly every independent bookseller I have met demonstrates a degree of responsibility for their customers. They will recommend books, organize their store, run events and book clubs, and discuss Russian translations with you because they care for their community.
That dose of feeling and receiving care--even in a tiny way--was part of the antidote I needed to the weight of mis-care that is too evident in a world whose environment is being actively deteriorated by the way we use it. Human care and attention is a powerful thing, and so are the ideas in books. Minimize your shopping costs, buy from book presses that use recycled paper, but also go out and discover how far your circle of responsibility extends.
So in honor of Independent Bookstore Day, show up for local businesses that make and care for your community, get to know the people that run them, then read your book in a park and bring a trash bag for any litter you see along the way.
Events in NYC:
Brooklyn hosts an annual Bookstore Crawl with 25 participating stores—pick up a passport from any of them, get it stamped by all the ones you visit for a coupon, and attend an afterparty at the Center for Fiction on April 27!
Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn: Authors will be throughout the store all day, with sales and Bookstore Day Exclusive merchandise.
Book Culture is hosting events at all of its locations, with discounts, raffles, and more!
Books of Wonder, Chelsea: this gorgeous children’s bookstore has a full slate of art projects, storytime activities, and 35 local authors attending throughout the day.
Center for Fiction, Brooklyn: All I’m gonna say is a “Take What You Can Carry” sale.
Books Are Magic, Brooklyn: A bookstore bacchanalia (their term) with author readings all afternoon.
Three Lives & Company, Greenwich Village, has home-baked treats on Saturday and an author event on Sunday!
Book Club, East Village, has cocktails and book giveaways—what more do you need?
The Word is Change is hosting author readings from Lampblack Lit and a golden ticket giveaway for a free year of audiobooks from Libro.fm!