#book-stores — Public Fediverse posts

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores Named for Great Authors & Artists

As a followup to the post on bookstores named for famous books, stories, poems, and characters, this post identifies those named after famous authors and artists. This information came from personal knowledge, as well as using google.com and gemini.google.ai

Far and away the most commonly used author’s name for bookstores is “Shakespeare” with five examples. No more than one was found for any other author.

Peace!

Bloomsbury Books – Ashland, OR [an early 20th century literary group that included Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keyes, Lytton Strachey, and Vanessa Bell]

Emerson Emporium – Boston, MA

Faulkner House Books – New Orleans, LA

Hemmingway House of Stories & Spirits – Pineville, LA

Jane Addams Book Shop – Champaign, IL

Karl Marx Bookstore – Frankfurt, Germany

Keats & Chapman – Belfast, NI, UK

Leopold’s Books, Bar & Cafe – Madison, WI

Longfellow Books – Portland, ME

Poe & Company – Milton, GA

Shakespeare Bookstore – Algiers, Algeria

Shakespeare & Co. Books – Missoula, MT

Shakespeare & Company – Paris, France

Shakespeare & Sons – Berlin, Germany

Shakespeare a Synové s.r.o. – Prague, Czechia

Whistler‘s Daughter Bookstore – Ferndale, MI

Bookstores Named for Great Authors & Artists

As a followup to the post on bookstores named for famous books, stories, poems, and characters, this post identifies those named after famous authors and artists. This information came from personal knowledge, as well as using google.com and gemini.google.ai

Far and away the most commonly used author’s name for bookstores is “Shakespeare” with five examples. No more than one was found for any other author.

Peace!

Bloomsbury Books – Ashland, OR [an early 20th century literary group that included Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keyes, Lytton Strachey, and Vanessa Bell]

Emerson Emporium – Boston, MA

Faulkner House Books – New Orleans, LA

Hemmingway House of Stories & Spirits – Pineville, LA

Jane Addams Book Shop – Champaign, IL

Karl Marx Bookstore – Frankfurt, Germany

Keats & Chapman – Belfast, NI, UK

Leopold’s Books, Bar & Cafe – Madison, WI

Longfellow Books – Portland, ME

Poe & Company – Milton, GA

Shakespeare Bookstore – Algiers, Algeria

Shakespeare & Co. Books – Missoula, MT

Shakespeare & Company – Paris, France

Shakespeare & Sons – Berlin, Germany

Shakespeare a Synové s.r.o. – Prague, Czechia

Whistler‘s Daughter Bookstore – Ferndale, MI

Local to #Alaska and looking to dive into one of Fathom's titles today? Head to our website to find out where our books are sold in your area and join us in supporting local small businesses. 🛍️ 📖

🔗: http://dlvr.it/TT5GD3

#shoplocal #bookstores #giftshops #smallbusiness #publishing

Baltimore Banner: Baltimore’s waterfront gets its Barnes & Noble back

"The national bookstore chain will take over the former Oceanaire Seafood Room location and open its doors in late October, according to a press release from Harbor East Management Group. It’s a 10,000-square-foot space at 801 Aliceanna St., along the roundabout in Harbor East. ... Baltimore, once nicknamed the “The City That Reads,” has been without a Barnes & Noble since August 2020, when the long-standing store at the Power Plant on Pratt Street in the Inner Harbor shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic."

https://www.thebanner.com/economy/barnes-noble-baltimore-harbor-east-F5OIUG6ZNJFFXKS2KD56WDAXGE/

#Baltimore #Maryland #bookstores

Baltimore Banner: Baltimore’s waterfront gets its Barnes & Noble back

"The national bookstore chain will take over the former Oceanaire Seafood Room location and open its doors in late October, according to a press release from Harbor East Management Group. It’s a 10,000-square-foot space at 801 Aliceanna St., along the roundabout in Harbor East. ... Baltimore, once nicknamed the “The City That Reads,” has been without a Barnes & Noble since August 2020, when the long-standing store at the Power Plant on Pratt Street in the Inner Harbor shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic."

https://www.thebanner.com/economy/barnes-noble-baltimore-harbor-east-F5OIUG6ZNJFFXKS2KD56WDAXGE/

#Baltimore #Maryland #bookstores

In a worrying development for bookworms across Japan, the number of bookstores in the country has dropped below 10,000 for the first time. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/16/japan/society/japan-bookstore-numbers-decline/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #books #bookstores

In a worrying development for bookworms across Japan, the number of bookstores in the country has dropped below 10,000 for the first time. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/16/japan/society/japan-bookstore-numbers-decline/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #books #bookstores

Number of bookstores in Japan drops below 10,000 for the first time

In a worrying development for bookworms across Japan, the number of bookstores in the country has dropped below 10,000 for the first time. According to a survey released by the Japan Publishing Organization for Information Infrastructure Development (JPO) earlier this month, Japan …
#Japan #JP #JapanNews #books #Bookstores #news
https://www.alojapan.com/1499190/number-of-bookstores-in-japan-drops-below-10000-for-the-first-time/

https://www.alojapan.com/1499190/number-of-bookstores-in-japan-drops-below-10000-for-the-first-time/ Number of bookstores in Japan drops below 10,000 for the first time #books #Bookstores #Japan #JapanNews #news In a worrying development for bookworms across Japan, the number of bookstores in the country has dropped below 10,000 for the first time. According to a survey released by the Japan Publishing Organization for Information Infrastructure Development (JPO) earlier this month, Japan had 9,993 bookstores as of the end of March 2026 — ju

📸 Very late posting of the pictures of the day

https://cjs-wunderkammer.ghost.io/pictures-of-the-day-jun-11/

#blog #photography #bookstores

📸 Very late posting of the pictures of the day

https://cjs-wunderkammer.ghost.io/pictures-of-the-day-jun-11/

#blog #photography #bookstores

The Uncles

The word today at Ragtag Daily Prompt is novels!

Once upon a time in 1974, on a somewhat out of the way corner in south Minneapolis (4th Avenue South and Franklin Avenue East for any cartophiles out there), there was a bookstore called Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore. It was tiny, it was cramped, it smelled of musty old books, it was heaven. The manager of the store, Scott Imes, was an amazing person and I could probably write a blog just about him, and I mention him only briefly here now because writing anything about Uncle Hugo’s doesn’t seem right without mentioning him. Smarter than an army of librarians and a memory that was scary. As fate would have it, I worked with his stepson in the early 2000’s.

The Uncle was successful and six years later, another Uncle, Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore, opened its doors not too far from its brother. The bookstores saw tremendous success and in 1984 they moved into one larger storefront in a busier section of town (2864 Chicago Avenue South) and all was good in the realm. A new destination was born. Or reborn?

Below is a picture inside of Uncle Hugo’s.

The picture is one small section, maybe about 25%, of one aisle. Aisle after aisle was the same as what you see in that picture. Books on top of books and boxes of books on top of more boxes of books. Stacks on stacks of books in every direction. And that’s just the used books area. What reader hasn’t at one point or another in their life fantasized about a room that looked like this? When you walked up and down the aisles of Uncle Hugo’s and Uncle Edgar’s you couldn’t help but marvel.

In May of 2020 Uncle Edgar’s and Uncle Hugo’s were burned to the ground during the riots shortly after the George Floyd murder. There was no reason to target a bookstore. A landmark. An independent business. But it was a crazy time and there you were. It took a little over two years but the owner, Don Blyly, eventually reponed in a new location at 2716 East 31st Street, and Uncle Hugo’s, the oldest independent science fiction bookstore in the country, and Uncle Edgar’s, were back! The new location doesn’t have the charm that the original two locations did, but I felt the same thing after the first move so don’t listen to me. I think that’s just my sentimentality.

So there you go, novels galore.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZLkmYOGZHzE&list=RDZLkmYOGZHzE&start_radio=1

The Uncles

The word today at Ragtag Daily Prompt is novels!

Once upon a time in 1974, on a somewhat out of the way corner in south Minneapolis (4th Avenue South and Franklin Avenue East for any cartophiles out there), there was a bookstore called Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore. It was tiny, it was cramped, it smelled of musty old books, it was heaven. The manager of the store, Scott Imes, was an amazing person and I could probably write a blog just about him, and I mention him only briefly here now because writing anything about Uncle Hugo’s doesn’t seem right without mentioning him. Smarter than an army of librarians and a memory that was scary. As fate would have it, I worked with his stepson in the early 2000’s.

The Uncle was successful and six years later, another Uncle, Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore, opened its doors not too far from its brother. The bookstores saw tremendous success and in 1984 they moved into one larger storefront in a busier section of town (2864 Chicago Avenue South) and all was good in the realm. A new destination was born. Or reborn?

Below is a picture inside of Uncle Hugo’s.

The picture is one small section, maybe about 25%, of one aisle. Aisle after aisle was the same as what you see in that picture. Books on top of books and boxes of books on top of more boxes of books. Stacks on stacks of books in every direction. And that’s just the used books area. What reader hasn’t at one point or another in their life fantasized about a room that looked like this? When you walked up and down the aisles of Uncle Hugo’s and Uncle Edgar’s you couldn’t help but marvel.

In May of 2020 Uncle Edgar’s and Uncle Hugo’s were burned to the ground during the riots shortly after the George Floyd murder. There was no reason to target a bookstore. A landmark. An independent business. But it was a crazy time and there you were. It took a little over two years but the owner, Don Blyly, eventually reponed in a new location at 2716 East 31st Street, and Uncle Hugo’s, the oldest independent science fiction bookstore in the country, and Uncle Edgar’s, were back! The new location doesn’t have the charm that the original two locations did, but I felt the same thing after the first move so don’t listen to me. I think that’s just my sentimentality.

So there you go, novels galore.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZLkmYOGZHzE&list=RDZLkmYOGZHzE&start_radio=1

https://www.portlandbookweek.com #pdx #PortlandOR #PortlandOregon #books #bookstores

"expanding at a pace not seen this century "

- Independent #bookstores are multiplying, although many people still think they're dying out https://apnews.com/article/independent-bookstores-expanding-booksellers-association-e1f745e4e431febca8f3e122e6b8f109

#books #reading #amreading #writing #amwriting #community

"expanding at a pace not seen this century "

- Independent #bookstores are multiplying, although many people still think they're dying out https://apnews.com/article/independent-bookstores-expanding-booksellers-association-e1f745e4e431febca8f3e122e6b8f109

#books #reading #amreading #writing #amwriting #community

While the zine trend is spearheaded by independent artists, newspaper printers and traditional bookstores have been embracing it too. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2026/06/01/books/japan-zines-kyoto-shimbun/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #books #zineculture #zines #kyotoshimbun #kyotographie #publishers #bookstores #zinefest #manga #magazines

While the zine trend is spearheaded by independent artists, newspaper printers and traditional bookstores have been embracing it too. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2026/06/01/books/japan-zines-kyoto-shimbun/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #books #zineculture #zines #kyotoshimbun #kyotographie #publishers #bookstores #zinefest #manga #magazines

https://www.alojapan.com/1493290/ai-simply-cant-replicate-it-japan-embraces-zine-trend/ ’AI simply can’t replicate it’: Japan embraces zine trend #Bookstores #Kyoto #KyotoNews #KyotoShimbun #kyotographie #magazines #manga #news #publishers #ZineCulture #ZineFest #zines #京都 #京都府 Kyoto – Through the noise of rushing papers and whirring belts at a print factory in Kyoto, two creators watch their photo essay come to life in broadsheet form — part of an effort to win new audiences in the age of AI. Despite the decline of the publishi

In Fargo, ND there is a jam packed used bookstore called BDS Books where I can wander for days. Lots of weird stuff. I picked up a high school year book, and page after page was annotated by a teacher, with notes about her students. She followed their lives. On this page with a picture of a basketball team, she wrote "These boys were in a car accident in Jamestown, ND, Aug-1961." The 19 year old apparently lost his life, the 20 year old his left arm. Page after page of these notes about students she taught. They were important to her. I should have bought it, but I now I dont think I could ever find it again in that cavernous place.

#Fargo #NorthDakota #books #bookstores #fargoNd #FargoMoorhead #weird #yearbooks

In Fargo, ND there is a jam packed used bookstore called BDS Books where I can wander for days. Lots of weird stuff. I picked up a high school year book, and page after page was annotated by a teacher, with notes about her students. She followed their lives. On this page with a picture of a basketball team, she wrote "These boys were in a car accident in Jamestown, ND, Aug-1961." The 19 year old apparently lost his life, the 20 year old his left arm. Page after page of these notes about students she taught. They were important to her. I should have bought it, but I now I dont think I could ever find it again in that cavernous place.

#Fargo #NorthDakota #books #bookstores #fargoNd #FargoMoorhead #weird #yearbooks

Philosophical Haunts: A Survey of Preferred Literary Sanctuaries

Daily Nous readers shared their preferred bookstores for finding philosophy books. See which independent shops and online sites are reader favorites.

#PhilosophyBooks, #Bookstores, #IndieBookstores, #DailyNous, #ReaderPoll

https://newsletter.tf/daily-nous-readers-favorite-philosophy-bookstores/

A recent informal poll by The Daily Nous asked readers about their favorite places to buy philosophy books. Many prefer independent bookstores, especially those near universities.

#PhilosophyBooks, #Bookstores, #IndieBookstores, #DailyNous, #ReaderPoll
https://newsletter.tf/daily-nous-readers-favorite-philosophy-bookstores/

It’s been nearly five years in the making, and now it’s almost here! The Trees of My Country: A Natural History of India in 50 Trees, published by Aleph, will hit the bookstores soon.

It took me across India, this great country of the trees, from the steamy forests of the Andaman and Nicobar islands to the high Himalaya, from the coral atolls of Lakshadweep to the far reaches of Arunachal […]

It’s been nearly five years in the making, and now it’s almost here! The Trees of My Country: A Natural History of India in 50 Trees, published by Aleph, will hit the bookstores soon.

It took me across India, this great country of the trees, from the steamy forests of the Andaman and Nicobar islands to the high Himalaya, from the coral atolls of Lakshadweep to the far reaches of Arunachal […]

https://www.koin.com/news/portland/anti-human-portland-business-leads-coalition-of-bookstores-opposing-ai-generated-books #PDX #PortlandOR #Bookstores #Booksellers #AI #No-AI #AIresistance

https://www.koin.com/news/portland/anti-human-portland-business-leads-coalition-of-bookstores-opposing-ai-generated-books #PDX #PortlandOR #Bookstores #Booksellers #AI #No-AI #AIresistance

@jendiagammon
If you're in Portland, Oregon here are some bookstores who are making a stand against LLMs ("AI")

https://www.wweek.com/arts/books/2026/05/18/always-here-books-starts-letter-campaign-against-ai-in-bookstores/

#Portland #PDX #Bookstores

@jendiagammon
If you're in Portland, Oregon here are some bookstores who are making a stand against LLMs ("AI")

https://www.wweek.com/arts/books/2026/05/18/always-here-books-starts-letter-campaign-against-ai-in-bookstores/

#Portland #PDX #Bookstores

Fort Wayne’s charming kitty curators of used books

One perk of loving to visit independent bookstores is every now and then you get the added bonus of meeting the resident cat(s) who live and/or work there. As everyone knows, cats in a store are the true brains of the operation and they stay there to make sure their human subjects follow all store policies to the letter.

Recently, on a day trip to Hyde Brothers Booksellers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, we were treated to just such a welcome by their kitty curators, Scout and Sherlock.

These two oh-so-adorable cats are brother (Sherlock) and sister (Scout) from the same litter. They are 12 years old and definitely the official rulers of the roost.

Scout was striking a restful pose on her cushy ottoman throne in the Literary aisle, while Sherlock was roaming and relaxing in the History aisle. Scout was immediately endearing to us newcomers by allowing us to softly rub her ears and pet her head, as well as give her a kitty back massage. Well-placed chairs on either side of her royal daybed were at perfect petting level for guests to bestow homage upon Scout, while deciding which books they wanted to purchase. Her quiet purrs were delightfully dainty and demure.

Just a touch more hesitant, Sherlock was very welcoming if you let him smell your hand first. Once acquainted, he was your buddy, though you do need to avoid sudden moves or he may scamper away. While not as regally positioned as Scout, he was no less triumphant in his ruling of his domain.

Both Scout and Sherlock were lovely and welcoming hosts into their literary world. It was a heartwarming reminder of how much we adored our Gus (a.k.a. Secret Agent 47) who passed away a little more than two weeks ago at 17 years of age.

Thank you, Hyde Brothers Booksellers for sharing joyful kitty moments with these two humanoids through Scout and Sherlock. It was very cathartic and healing for our recently broken hearts. 💔

Peace and love!

Fort Wayne’s charming kitty curators of used books

One perk of loving to visit independent bookstores is every now and then you get the added bonus of meeting the resident cat(s) who live and/or work there. As everyone knows, cats in a store are the true brains of the operation and they stay there to make sure their human subjects follow all store policies to the letter.

Recently, on a day trip to Hyde Brothers Booksellers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, we were treated to just such a welcome by their kitty curators, Scout and Sherlock.

These two oh-so-adorable cats are brother (Sherlock) and sister (Scout) from the same litter. They are 12 years old and definitely the official rulers of the roost.

Scout was striking a restful pose on her cushy ottoman throne in the Literary aisle, while Sherlock was roaming and relaxing in the History aisle. Scout was immediately endearing to us newcomers by allowing us to softly rub her ears and pet her head, as well as give her a kitty back massage. Well-placed chairs on either side of her royal daybed were at perfect petting level for guests to bestow homage upon Scout, while deciding which books they wanted to purchase. Her quiet purrs were delightfully dainty and demure.

Just a touch more hesitant, Sherlock was very welcoming if you let him smell your hand first. Once acquainted, he was your buddy, though you do need to avoid sudden moves or he may scamper away. While not as regally positioned as Scout, he was no less triumphant in his ruling of his domain.

Both Scout and Sherlock were lovely and welcoming hosts into their literary world. It was a heartwarming reminder of how much we adored our Gus (a.k.a. Secret Agent 47) who passed away a little more than two weeks ago at 17 years of age.

Thank you, Hyde Brothers Booksellers for sharing joyful kitty moments with these two humanoids through Scout and Sherlock. It was very cathartic and healing for our recently broken hearts. 💔

Peace and love!

"Always Here Books Starts Letter Campaign Against AI in Bookstores"

https://www.wweek.com/arts/books/2026/05/18/always-here-books-starts-letter-campaign-against-ai-in-bookstores/

"More than 30 bookstores have signed on to Hart’s letter. It’s mainly small, independent bookstores in the Portland area, such as Wallace Books, Grand Gesture Books and Belmont Books, but some are as far away as North Carolina and Florida."

#Portland #PDX #Books #Bookstores #Bookstodon #NoAI #FuckAI

"Always Here Books Starts Letter Campaign Against AI in Bookstores"

https://www.wweek.com/arts/books/2026/05/18/always-here-books-starts-letter-campaign-against-ai-in-bookstores/

"More than 30 bookstores have signed on to Hart’s letter. It’s mainly small, independent bookstores in the Portland area, such as Wallace Books, Grand Gesture Books and Belmont Books, but some are as far away as North Carolina and Florida."

#Portland #PDX #Books #Bookstores #Bookstodon #NoAI #FuckAI

The lit scene is lit: Book clubs, book swaps and other bibliophile events across Japan are at the center of a passionate and cosmopolitan reading community. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2026/05/18/issues/english-book-clubs-swaps-events/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #community #issues #books #bookstores #literature #expats #kyoto #osaka #sustainability #tokyo

The lit scene is lit: Book clubs, book swaps and other bibliophile events across Japan are at the center of a passionate and cosmopolitan reading community. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2026/05/18/issues/english-book-clubs-swaps-events/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #community #issues #books #bookstores #literature #expats #kyoto #osaka #sustainability #tokyo

Did #Moomins suddenly become mainstream? I keep seeing #moomin stuff in like, #BarnesAndNoble, whenever I wander into fancy #bookstores...

Did #Moomins suddenly become mainstream? I keep seeing #moomin stuff in like, #BarnesAndNoble, whenever I wander into fancy #bookstores...

Have you ever bought an e-book while visiting (in person) a physical bookstore?

I'm mostly thinking of Bookshop and indie bookstores, but you could also buy a Nook edition of a book while visiting B&N, for example.

(Boosts appreciated to reach more readers!)

#reading #ebook #ebooks #books #bookstores

Have you ever bought an e-book while visiting (in person) a physical bookstore?

I'm mostly thinking of Bookshop and indie bookstores, but you could also buy a Nook edition of a book while visiting B&N, for example.

(Boosts appreciated to reach more readers!)

#reading #ebook #ebooks #books #bookstores

Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity

Al Manhal Bakery and Books: a Damascus bookshop on historic Straight Street curating multilingual titles for post-censorship Syria. Beggars can be choosers.
The post Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity appeared first on The New Publishing Standard.
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2026/05/14/al-manhal-damascus-bookshop-literary-scarcity/

#bookstores #MENApublishing #MiddleEast #Syria #multiingualbooks

Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity

Al Manhal Bakery and Books: a Damascus bookshop on historic Straight Street curating multilingual titles for post-censorship Syria. Beggars can be choosers.
The post Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity appeared first on The New Publishing Standard.
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2026/05/14/al-manhal-damascus-bookshop-literary-scarcity/

#bookstores #MENApublishing #MiddleEast #Syria #multiingualbooks

Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity

Al Manhal Bakery and Books: a Damascus bookshop on historic Straight Street curating multilingual titles for post-censorship Syria. Beggars can be choosers.
The post Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity appeared first on The New Publishing Standard.
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2026/05/14/al-manhal-damascus-bookshop-literary-scarcity/

#bookstores #MENApublishing #MiddleEast #Syria #multiingualbooks

Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity

Al Manhal Bakery and Books: a Damascus bookshop on historic Straight Street curating multilingual titles for post-censorship Syria. Beggars can be choosers.
The post Syria – “Beggars Can Be Choosers.” A Damascus Bookshop Rewrites the Rules of Literary Scarcity appeared first on The New Publishing Standard.
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2026/05/14/al-manhal-damascus-bookshop-literary-scarcity/

#bookstores #MENApublishing #MiddleEast #Syria #multiingualbooks

“She is so often asked what her favorite #book is — & has such difficulty answering — that there is a section titled “Favs” for her own ever-changing choices. During this year’s five-week swing through the South, it showcased #books by #AnneMichaels, #AnnPatchett, #WillaCather…“ #BookSky #bookstores

This Bookstore Gets Good Milea...

“She is so often asked what her favorite #book is — & has such difficulty answering — that there is a section titled “Favs” for her own ever-changing choices. During this year’s five-week swing through the South, it showcased #books by #AnneMichaels, #AnnPatchett, #WillaCather…“ #BookSky #bookstores

This Bookstore Gets Good Milea...

A Bookstore Grows in Damascus

Al Manhal Bakery and Books hopes to be a space where Syrians can come together to learn about their own history and discuss deep issues following 54 years of dictatorship and censorship.
The post A Bookstore Grows in Damascus appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/a-bookstore-grows-in-damascus/

#AlManhal #AsserKhattab #Bookstores #BrantStewart #Damascus

www.thenation.com/article/cult... onward and upward #indie #bookstores #author #indieauthor #writer #writers #authors #bookstores #book #booksky #amwriting

Did You Know There’s an Indepe...

https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/independent-bookstore-revival-amazon-decline-local-retail-reading-trends/

onward and upward #indie #bookstores

#author #indieauthor #writer #writers #authors #bookstores #book #writersofmastodon #bookstodon #amwriting #writerscoffeeclub #wordweavers #scribesandmakers

Went to my favourite theme park 😁

#Kinokuniya #Bookstores #KualaLumpur #Malaysia

My #book #thewildheartofindia is now in many #bookstores across #India... Do visit #indiebookstores for it... Or to discover more!

#naturewriting #wildlife #biodiversity #conservation #literature

Meet These Delightful Bookshop Cats (and One Dog!)

Daphne du Meowier Introduces Us to Just Some of the Pets That Populate Bookstores Across the Country

https://lithub.com/meet-these-delightful-bookshop-cats-and-one-dog/

#bookstores #animals