Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by The Broke and The Bookish! The honest truth is that I do a lot of my book buying either on Amazon (because price) or thrift/secondhand stores (also because price). I read/buy a lot of books, I would never be able to afford it paying full retail value. But I do stop at my local independent bookstore as often as I can reasonably do so (3-4 times per year), and here's what I love about it!
Supporting a local business: I don't know about you, but I like knowing that when I go in and buy books, I'm helping support people in my community having book jobs. This is one of the biggest reasons I feel bad about shopping on Amazon, so if someone could go ahead and plant a money tree in my backyard, that would be great.
The smell: There's an amazing smell of pages and ink when you walk in the door to a bookstore that's intoxicating enough that I blame it for my inability to control myself and only buy one book. Giles was right, knowledge should be smelly.
Actual humans to that like books to talk to: Obviously all my internet friends are human, too, but it's really nice to get to chat about book things face-to-face. Asking employees for recs based on the books you already enjoyed can yield some really great quality discoveries!
The unexpected: Even when I go in with an idea of what I want to pick up, I always like to take the time to browse at the tables and see the employee recs...you never know what's going to be there to catch your eye!
Bookish goodies: I haven't been in a bookstore yet that only sells books...there are cards, bookmarks, journals, mugs, and other book-type swag. Lots of things to discover!
Finding the perfect thing for someone else: This is part of why browsing is key...something can catch your eye that someone you love clearly needs and even if birthdays/Christmas are a while away yet, you can just buy it and stash it in the back of the closet and done.
Readings/signings: I'm super bummed I'm going to miss Stephen King at the Reno Barnes & Noble coming up here in a few weeks...because it's on my wedding day! Getting married will be better, I expect, but getting to meet the people who wrote words that you love is the bestest.
People watching: Sometimes I like to find something I'm interested in and kind of leaf through it while I make up little stories in my head about the people around me and who they are to each other. I tend to assume the best about them because if they're in a bookstore they have to be good people, right?
Coffee and snacks: Not every bookstore sells coffee, obviously, but when they do it just encourages you to linger, and something about the smell of the coffee and the books together is just about the most magical smell in the world.
Walking out with books: Obviously, this is the best part!
Oh yes, great pick for this weeks prompt! Love that this prompt means nearly all our posts are about something different. Yes to these!!! I absolutely love going to the book store, although it is hard for me if I am trying to be good and not buy many books. You can check my TTT post out here.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest part is walking out with money still in my checking account! I totally agree, it's great seeing how everyone made this their own!
DeleteThere's nothing quite like having the books in your hands and smelling them. Browsing through Amazon and Goodreads is fun, don't get me wrong, but not like the real thing. It's a real shame I don't get to browse real bookstores anymore (they aren't many books here in Venezuela and those that we do get are extremely expensive). Lovely list.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say to ditch the wedding until I realized it was your own, hahaha
My TTT post is about reading challenges, if you want to check it out.
I love Stephen King, but even he's not enough to make me miss my own wedding :)
DeleteI agree with all you reasons as to why bookshops are so great. I especially love browsing and finding something I'd never heard of before. :)
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten Tuesday all about my favourite character
When a cover snags your eye out of nowhere and then the back blurb gets into your head...it's like a little bit of bookstore magic!
DeleteI love the browsing...especially the tables by the front door and editors picks. I don't get into bookstores as much as I'd like anymore (toddlers and lots of e-reading and browsing via blogs), but I really do miss it.
ReplyDeleteI try to balance my reading as much as I can between digital and paper copy...it's so great to have as many books as I want at hand when I travel by just tucking my kindle into my bag, but I do just love the feel of a book in hand and seeing the bookmark move through the pages is more satisfying than watching my % complete tick up. I hadn't actually thought about it that way, but I do a lot of my browsing via blogs these days too! I've usually got a list when I walk in of books I've seen on my reader lately that I want to look for...but I can't help stopping by the tables just to see what's out there!
DeleteCongratulations on the wedding. I love sitting in a bookstore and reading surrounded by other book lovers.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT list
Thank you! Isn't it great to walk in and look at the other people and know you're all there because you love books?
Delete