Bookstores

I love bookstores. Every opportunity I get to go into a bookstore I take it. Sometimes I am thrilled with what I find and other times I walk away disappointed. I have my preferences.


I like Borders...great atmosphere, 
computers make it easy to access their collections

Barnes & Noble is OK...more like a museum rather than an actual vendor of books.

Jelly Beans...a local book store selling used books,
vinyl and posters...great smell inside the store.

Schulers...an incredible independent bookstore in Michigan that 
combines great books, coffee and vibe.


Did I mention that I like bookstores?

Jerry Seinfeld says that, "a bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking." I agree.


It is amazing how a best seller applauded by critics can find its way onto the 99 cent clearance table within a short time after its publication. Books are being written everyday and some stand the test of time and others are relegated to obscurity. 


"Have you read a good book lately? Who do you read? 

Recently I was reading an article by a voracious reader who was asked for book recommendations. His response intrigued me. He said, "I only read dead people." Upon more careful investigation I learned that he meant that his favorite authors were dead. He felt that books that continued to be published after an author dies must have something to say.


Back to the bookstores mentioned above....I checked it out and I think he is right. The shelves are full of books by authors that have died. The clearance rack is full of books from people who are still alive.

Check it out next time you are in a bookstore.


Here a some books by dead people that have brought life to my mind.

The Kingdom of God is Within You, Leo Tolstoy

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Orbiting the Giant Hairball, Gordon Mackenzie

Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Living Reminder, Henri Nouwen

By the way, when was the last time you were in a bookstore?