Powell's Books, Portand, Ore., focused its most recent "Portrait of a Bookseller" blog series on the company's CEO Miriam Sontz. Among our favorite q&a exchanges:
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| Powell's CEO Miriam Sontz | |
How would you describe your job?
I try to provide a framework and let everyone else paint inside that frame.
What is the best part of your job?
I can leave my office at any time and walk through the store and be reminded of the power of books.
Why do you think bookstores remain so popular in the digital age?
Bookstores are an incredible cauldron of serendipity. What comes next into your field of vision is a combination of randomness and curation by staff, a totally human and irreplaceable experience. I can walk down the same aisle every day and see something different.
What makes for a good book in your eyes?
A good book takes my singular view of the world and turns it into a prism.