Book Review: My Bookstore consists of short appreciations of bookstores by many authors, including such names as Isabel Allende, Dave Eggers, Louise Erdrich, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., John Grisham, Chuck Palahniuk, and Lisa See, with an Introduction by Richard Russo and an Afterword by Emily St. John Mandel. Of course, the big name independent bookstores such as Powell's, the Strand, and the Tattered Cover are included. All in all, this is a paean to independent bookshops in the United States, and a lovely one at that, with some of the stories sure to make you feel a bit misty as the authors describe how valuable, how necessary, how part of the family, bookshops have been in their lives. Most readers adore bookshops, and this is almost like bookstore-porn (or a love letter to bookstores, if you prefer), making a cross-country road trip to visit them all seem like a necessity. Personally, I love wandering through shelves wondering what I'll find that I didn't know I needed, but as I read My Bookstore I also wondered how many of these bookshops have closed since 2012 when the book was published. Many of the stories contain histories of the various shops that have opened and closed in their towns over the years. I'm lucky to live near what seems like a fairly sturdy bookstore (yes, it's in the book), but not everyone is so fortunate. The other thing I should mention is that it took me over three years to read My Bookstore, as I kept it by my reading chair and when in the mood, I'd read a few pages. This would be a hard book to read straight through and I didn't try. Reading was much more fun with just a few luscious tidbits at a time. Enjoyable, touching, personal, funny, this is a collection of many tiny memoirs about the importance of books, reading, and bookshops. I'd love to see an international edition. [5 Stars]
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