Thursday, October 16, 2003

Something Positive--If I Could Only Remember It



My son loves used books and used bookstores. Though I'm a sucker for buying used books off the cart by the door of our local library, as a general rule I find used bookstores cluttered and dusty. All I can think of is how much I don't want this stuff in my house.

However, this past weekend we were in Ithaca, New York (which, I've read on-line, is supposed to have the highest number of bookstores per capita in the country). The young 'un was with us so, of course, when we came upon a used bookstore we had to go in.

It was a beautiful place, clean, and nicely laid out. There was a children's section, carefully marked out and welcoming. I so wish I could remember the name of the place!! It was on The Commons. I know it wasn't the used bookstore that specializes in antiquarian books, it was the used bookstore right next to that one.

Imagine a community so interested in books that it can support two used bookstores right next to each other. And there was what I believe was a new bookstore around the corner. And less then three miles away we saw a Borders.

Ithaca must be where good readers go when they die.

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