My New Mission
Well. I’ve been in NYC trying to break into publishing for a few months now. Actually, maybe just three weeks if you don’t count CPC (the Columbia Publishing Course). In any case, I’ve had a few, rare, leads, and there’s always the fall internship to consider, but I’ve decided it’s time I got off my butt and sent myself across the city. My new mission (in addition to the whole finding-a-job thing) is to visit every bookstore I can in NYC. Also nearby coffee shops.
Fun, right? I thought so :)
So far, I have been to Book Culture (how could I not have, living in Columbia dorms for 6 weeks!), The Strand (of course), Spoonbill & Sugartown (during my first venture into Brooklyn), Shakespeare & Co. in the NYU area, and this little jewelry/watch repair/used book store place on 49th and… something. I’m not sure that this last one actually counts as a book store, but I’ll take what I can get!
Book Culture, on Broadway and 114th, was the first bookstore I explored (and every time I say “explored,” it also means, bought some books at!). It’s small but sort of fun—wooden floors, books on the sidewalk, etc. Not a huge selection, but they have all the NYT bestsellers and are big on fiction. Also gardening, vegetarian cookbooks and some other random subjects. Very nice staff.
The Strand I have been to twice now, actually. And I still haven’t made it past the main floor! It’s a bit overwhelming, for me at least, but I love it. No where to really sit down with a book, but The Bean just across the street is perfect for that. Next time I am in the area I will explore the upstairs, andmaybethe downstairs as well!
Spoonbill & Sugartown was kind of an accidental visit—I was hanging out with my cousins and Aunt Janie and we sort of stumbled into it. Definitely worth it though! Lots of art and architecture books and literature. Loved the creaky wooden floors and tiny children’s section, too! I did not, however, see any of the cats that are supposed to be around, so I will have to revisit :) (cat-lover, here!).
Shakespeare & Co. was another accidental find, though of course I recognized the name when I was walking past. A bit of a chilly reception, with the bag check (which I ignored, and they were fine with me ignoring) and the only staff behind a very tall register, but overall quite nice and not crowded with shelves or with people (at least when I was there).
So, that’s all for now, but I’ll be back with the next one soon!
That moment when you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone is just carrying on with their lives as though you didn’t just experience emotional trauma at the hands of a paperback.
Just finished Dave Eggers Zeitoun, an amazing book about the struggles of a Muslim family during Katrina. I recommend it for everyone.
My book for week 13 (a bit late, I know). Also, side note, I bought it at the National Book Fair on the mall (DC) in September—it’s signed. so cool.
Stunning Hand-stitched Journals by Odelae (Erica Ekrem)
“Odelae hand stitched journals are born from my attraction to the faded, worn and tattered objects that have survived from the early 1900s. Many of the up-cycled materials I work with originate from antique books found at the bottom of old chests and bookstore salvage boxes. No longer valued or falling apart, I reclaim what is remaining and revive it. ”
my favorite book arts yet!
