Read NYC: A Skeptic's Guide to Writers Houses, Anne Trubek

Watercolor by Caitlin McGauley

"Artists get art museums as a vacation destination for lovers of painting, and composers get the symphony hall. Writers produce art that is easily reproducible and accessible, but offer no common meeting spot, gathering place, or shrine ready structure. They have, though, usually slept inside a home. and so we make of these homes de facto shrines."
-A Skeptic's Guide to Writers Houses, Anne Trubek

Anne will hold a reading at Word Brooklyn on Tuesday, January 11th at 7:30p.

Bookstores of Brooklyn Roundup

All this death of the bookshop talk is a fear-mongering conspiracy. At least that's the way it looks from this side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Amazon is of course a resource for the books you know you want. But for those you didn't know you needed, plenty of real life shops continue to do their part for the impulse buys that keep the livre alive. These are my favorite shops all of which curate their stacks expertly, host readings frequently, and lay the good vibes on thickly. If you're looking for a reason to curl up with a read this winter, here are the best places (in my humble humble) to find one.

Word in Greenpoint

featured feature: an in-store dating service that matches people based on their likes and dislikes in literature. And a nice blog with author interviews.

Book Court in Cobble Hill

featured feature: a jam-packed events calendar that brings in big name authors for readings.

Powerhouse Books in Dumbo

featured feature: high ceilings; triples as a publishing house and event space.

Brooklyn Art Library in Williamsburg

featured feature: shares a wall with Mast Brother's Chocolate. Intoxicating chocolate smell ensues. Enough said.

(Actually, it should be noted that they conduct collaborative projects like a sketch book catalogue that will join the store's "permanent collection," sell concept books from the cool Brooklyn-based Ugly Duckling Presse, and the most beautiful journals.)

And, though it's not in Brooklyn, I cannot stop talking about the effort by Marc Jacobs, BookMarc. I wanted to hate it, but they seriously have the most amazing collection of lust-inducing books about art, music, and fashion.

great view of the shop from Interview Magazine

Laters,

Acton