Want to start an argument? Just create a list of the "Best U.S. Cities for Book Lovers" and release it to celebrate National Book Lovers Day (August 9). Yup, that's what happened last week.
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| Posted by Page 158 Books | |
The origin story for Book Lovers Day is lost in the mists of time. I first wrote about it three years ago, asking: "So, do you have more ambitious plans for National Book Lovers Day 2021 this coming Monday, August 9? No? What's that? You mean to tell me you've never heard of it?" But the day has definitely gained momentum in recent years, especially among indie booksellers, who never need an excuse to celebrate the reading life."
The genesis of the Best U.S. Cities for Book Lovers list, however, is much easier to trace. Explore compiled it by "analyzing the 'Top 100 Best American Cities' list and tallying factors like the number of bookstores, libraries, literary tours, and landmarks in each one, we curated a list that highlights a handful of literary-rich destinations to inspire bibliophiles who want to combine their love of reading with travel."
Using a "variety of sources and databases," Explore collected relevant data and then scored each city based on those factors, "giving extra weight to things like independent bookstores and literary landmarks." Here's the top 15:
- Lancaster, Pa.
- New York, N.Y.
- Harrisburg, Pa.
- Pensacola, Fla.
- Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
- Portland, Ore.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Birmingham, Ala.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- St. Louis, Mo.
- Washington, D.C.
- Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Portland, Maine
- Minneapolis, Minn.
- St. Paul, Minn.
Let the debates begin. Headlines showed that some cities were cool with the results ("NYC was just ranked second best city in the U.S. for book lovers"), while others... not so much ("How is Portland not ranked higher on this list of top 100 U.S. cities for book lovers?").
I guess that's just the true spirit of Book Lover's Day talking. As I mentioned earlier, there seems to be a full embrace of BLD among many indie booksellers now, as social media posts showed. Here are some highlights:
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| At Bards Alley Bookshop | |
Bards Alley Bookshop, Vienna, Va.: "It's National Book Lovers Day! Time to treat yourself--come shop our new display for all of your bookish needs!"
The Family Book Shop, DeLand, Fla.: "Today is National Book Lover's Day! Around here, it is every day. Thank you to the author Steve Berry for the reminder post today."
Lovestruck Books and Cafe, Cambridge, Mass.: "[W]e celebrate all kinds of lovers--book lovers, romance lovers, self lovers, forbidden lovers, old lovers, new lovers, and everyone in between. And the best part? There's a book for every type. Whether you're curling up with a steamy romance or discovering a new literary crush, today is all about indulging in your love for books."
Stories Like Me, Pittsburgh, Pa.: "It's #NationalBookLoversDay! Thank you to all the book lovers out there who help support indie bookstores! This day is for you. We love you."
BayShore Books, Oconto, Wis.: "Thank you to all the book lovers who help support Indie bookstores! This day is for you."
Alibi Bookshop, Vallejo, Calif.: "It's my favorite holiday, so come celebrate with us! (Well, I'll be celebrating at home, but Alex and Sarah will be there for all your book loving needs.)."
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| At Carmichael's Bookstore | |
Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, Ky.: "Happy National Book Lovers Day!! We almost missed it because, let's be honest, we like to celebrate every day, but we're all for more reasons to show our love for books and the people who love them. Cheers to the book lovers out there! May your TBR stacks be tall without being overwhelming, your @louisvillefreepubliclibrary holds come in right when you need them, and your reading spots always be cozy."
Wyrd Bookstore, Edgewater, Md.: "Happy Book Lovers Day! It's a pretty good day to be working at a place FULL of them. I hope you find the opportunity to spend some quality time with your books. They look oh so lonely sitting on your shelf. If you're running out of material, you know where to find us."
Fiction Addiction, Greenville, S.C.: "Happy #NationalBookLoversDay!! To celebrate, we made a small list of some deep, beautiful quotes that come directly from books (both classic & modern) for you to look through!"
The Rabbit hOle , North Kansas City, Mo.: "There's no better way to spend National Book Lovers Day, National Rice Pudding Day AND Tove Jansson's birthday than at The Rabbit hOle, eating mush, and reading a Moomin book."
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| At Belmont Books, Belmont, Mass. | |
Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, N.C.: "It's a day meant for us! Happy National Book Lovers Day! We are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful community of readers and writers."
Bonsai Books, Cheyenne, Wyo.: "Come celebrate arguably the best day of the year, National Book Lovers Day! Buy a new great book and get a drink for free! If you're looking for suggestions on something amazing to read, we are always here to talk books."
Paper Pages Bookstore, Crescent, Okla.: "It's #NationalBookLoversDay! Thank you to all of our Book Lovers who support our Bookstore! We celebrate with you today!"
The Libros, Los Angeles, Calif., summed up the spirit of the day nicely: "We love books! We love to read. We love to learn about other people's lives and their adventures. We love to learn as we read. We like our minds to be blown because of what we read. We love to be transported to faraway places thanks to what we've read. Books are life!!"