The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore

by Evan Friss

An affectionate and engaging history of the American bookstore and its central place in American cultural life, from department stores to indies, from highbrow dealers trading in first editions to sidewalk vendors, and from chains to special-interest community destinations

Bookstores have always been unlike any other kind of store, shaping readers and writers, and influencing our tastes, thoughts, and politics. They nurture local communities while creating new ones of their own. Bookshops are powerful spaces, but they are also endangered ones. In The Bookshop, we see those stakes: what has been, and what might be lost.

Evan Friss’s history of the bookshop draws on oral histories, archival collections, municipal records, diaries, letters, and interviews with leading booksellers to offer a fascinating look at this institution beloved by so many. The story begins with Benjamin Franklin’s first bookstore in Philadelphia and takes us to a range of booksellers including The Strand, Chicago’s Marshall Field & Company, Gotham Book Mart, specialty stores like Oscar Wilde and Drum and Spear, sidewalk sellers of used books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon Books, and Parnassus. The Bookshop is also a history of the leading figures in American bookselling, often impassioned eccentrics, and a history of how books have been marketed and sold over more than two centuries—including, for example, a 3,000-pound elephant who appeared to sign books at Marshall Field’s in 1944.

The Bookshop is a love letter to bookstores, a charming chronicle for anyone who cherishes these sanctuaries of literature, and essential reading to understand how these vital institutions have shaped American life—and why we still need them.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Books About Books, Audiobook, Historical, Business, American History

416 pages, Hardcover

First published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[s.penkevich [mental health hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always said that bookstore employees are rockstars but I’m a bit biased.

I love my job
Having spent many years working bookstores—in both a Barnes and Noble and currently at a delightful indie bookstore, Readers World— I was eager to check out Evan Friss’ The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore. Books are part of the lifeblood of a society, they are a comfort and a friend when in need, they open your mind, expand your horizons, they frame the past and speculate the future, the show you the possibilities of life, language, they are ‘a uniquely portable magic’ as Stephen King once wrote. ‘Books and doors are the same thing,’ Jeanette Winterson—my favorite person to write books—said, ‘you open them, and you go through into another world,’ and by opening the door to a bookstore you are transported into a realm of possibility and potential magic behind every cover. Also shoutout to libraries (I must add as I type this from my desk in a library) where this potential of possibility does not come at a cost. Friss writes that ‘a city without a bookstore wasn't a city worth calling home,’ and I’m proud to work in our city’s indie bookstore which was, in fact, the very first place I went to check out when I moved here. One day, after being a regular for years, I walked in to pick up a book I had preordered (Flights by Olga Tokarczuk) and they offered me a job. Best job I’ve ever had. But librarian s.penkevich would like to consider some nuance missing from Friss’ statement that, sure it’s fun to say and all but some communities are unable to support one which is compounded with the issue that so much of the goal behind book ban attempts is to disenfranchise support for public institutions and dissolve libraries and free access to books, moving everything behind privatized access with a price barrier. But moving along.

'The right book put in the right hands at the right time could change the course of a life or many lives.'

In The Bookstore, Friss takes us through a history of American bookstores from early collections by Benjamin Franklin to noteworthy stores like The Strand or The National Memorial African Bookstore, into the chains of Barnes & Noble or Amazon that have dramatically reshaped the book industry into the digital age. Friss pauses along the way to celebrate the ancillary heroes to bookstore, like the UPS driver and bookstore cats that ensure the books are flowing or improve the vibes. It is a rather cherry-picked and anecdotal history that feels more like a collection of essays full of fun tales than, say, an exhaustive or academic history, but it made for an interesting read that is sure to delight anyone with an interest in bookstores.

‘You see, bookshops are dreams built of wood and paper. They are time travel and escape and knowledge and power. They are, simply put, the best of places.’
—Jen Campbell, Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

As Friss tells us, ‘the right book put in the right hands at the right time could change the course of a life or many lives,’ and I rather enjoy this loving view on bookstores, booksellers and the customers who frequent them. While this book focuses specifically on bookstores in the United States, the history of bookselling reaches all the way back to ancient times. Around 300BC, the founding of the Library of Alexandria created a need for obtaining books and brought about a robust bookselling practice amongst Athenians. The Abbasid Caliphate and Caliphate of Córdoba encouraged the trade of books across the Muslim world with Damascus, Baghdad, and Córdoba becoming major centers for book dealers. Meanwhile, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press brought a surge of bookselling into France and across Europe in the mid 1400s, and the Librairie Nouvelle d'Orléans which opened in 1545 is still in operation and makes it the oldest bookstore in operation across Europe. Friss’ tales begin with the personal book collection of Benjamin Franklin and move into stories about the Old Corner Bookstore in Boston, which is unfortunately no longer in operation.


'A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.'
—John Milton, Areopagitica

The book is rather anecdotal and skips around to highlight some cool places, such as Parnassus books started by author Ann Patchett who ‘saw herself as more of a benefactor than a capitalist. It was about protecting an endangered species,’, though one might not necessarily find this to read like a history of bookselling in general. Though there are some rather interesting things to note, such as the legacy of radical bookstores like Drum & Spear, founded in 1968 as a space for Black activism in literature and were investigated by the FBI. One story shows they had been accused of providing communist propaganda after an agent failed to purchase Chairman Mao's Little Red Book there and bought it at another store, but still submitted it as evidence against them.

Another fascinating history here was the chapter on sidewalk vendor bookstores which were vilified by city officials such as a 1993 bill to remove them that was pushed by the same councilman who had once passed a law giving booksellers freedom to sell without a license. There is a sadness, however, as many of the bookstores included in the history of 20th century bookstores have now shut down. ‘The Old Corner helped launch American literature and the American bookstore,’ Friss writes, ‘Now it’s a Chipotle’. So it goes. The historic Denver bookstore Tattered Cover a historic bookstore in Denver that is regrettably absent in this book was recently purchased by Barnes and Noble. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet and co-founder of City Lights Bookstore, once stated:

‘Don’t patronize the chain bookstores. Every time I see some author scheduled to read and sign his books at a chain bookstore, I feel like telling him he’s stabbing the independent bookstores in the back.’

Hopefully people have an indie bookstore available to them, which is a struggle especially in a lot of rural communities where having an alternative to Amazon or Barnes and Noble just isn't available. Many indie bookstores have been struggling too and I was surprised to learn that The Strand nearly closed during COVID. As the book progresses, we see more about how indie bookstore began to compete with chains, and now those chains compete with Amazon. Alas, Borders has gone away and Amazon purchased many of their storefronts for their physical Amazon stores like a psychopathic murderer wearing the skin of its victims. Amazon will also buy up entire first print runs leaving indie bookstores unable to stock certain new releases (or have an additional copy stuck on backorder for months), and so ideas like Ingrams Indie Vault that reserves books for indie bookstores and doesn't allow the big chains to take the whole print run have been helpful. Its always sad to me when a bookstore closes and makes me think of a favorite poem by James Tate:

Memory

A little bookstore used to call to me.
Eagerly I would go to it
hungry for the news
and the sure friendship.
It never failed to provide me
with whatever I needed.
Bookstore with a donkey in its heart,
bookstore full of clouds and
sometimes lightning, showers.
Books just in from Australia,
books by madmen and giants.
Toucans would alight on my stovepipe hat
and solve mysteries with a few chosen words.
Picasso would appear in a kimono
requesting a discount, and then
laugh at his own joke.
Little bookstore with its belly
full of wisdom and confetti,
with eyebrows of wildflowers-
and customers from Denmark and Japan,
New York and California, psychics
and lawyers, clergymen and hitchhikers,
the wan, the strong, the crazy,
all needing books, needing directions,
needing a friend, or a place to sit down.
But then one day the shelves began to empty
and a hush fell over the store.
No new books arrived.
When the dying was done,
only a fragile, tattered thing remained,
and I haven’t the heart to name it.

I found this poem on my last day working at Barnes and Noble so it hit hard. And so, of particular interest to me in this book was the section on Barnes & Noble and the recent acquisition of the company by James Daunt of Waterstones bookstores in the UK fame. I spent several years as a keyholder in a Barnes and Noble in what felt very much like a slow spiraling decline under Leonard Riggio, who’s life and legacy gets a rather positive and inspirational treatment here. Not that I have anything against him but I’m fairly certain when he passed recently he probably vanished as a cloud of bats and unpaid debts (anyone else remember the BN credit card scandal?) but he certainly did build an impressive chain from humble beginnings and Daunt has very much improved on the design. Under Daunt, as Friss points out, BNs have come to feel much more localized by giving the stores more control over title acquisition and displays to present a more indie bookstore feel.

‘So often, a visit to a bookshop has cheered me, and reminded me that there are good things in the world.’
—Vincent van Gogh

Friss does give Amazon a lot of positive spin while glossing over their legacy of union busting and anti-worker policies, though he also does champion physical spaces over online retail. I enjoyed the section discussing the #BoxedOut Campaign organized by the American Booksellers Association to promote buying through physical indie retailers as opposed to Amazon. I wish it went more into how Amazon harms bookstores and strategized to push indie retailers out through things like loss leaders. According to census data more than 50% of US indie bookstores closed between 1998 and 2019 and (as reported in The Nation in 2024) Amazon now sells over 300 million books a year to generate $28billion each year and owns more than half the US print market.

‘ People may not realize the cost and consequences of ‘convenience’ shopping until it's too late… Closed indie bookstores represent the loss of local jobs and local tax dollars; the loss of community centers; and the loss of opportunities for readers to discover books and connect with other readers in a meaningful face-to-face way.’
— Allison K Hill, CEO of American Booksellers Association

Of course there are many reasons such as mobility issues or lack of access to a bookstore that lead to people purchasing books through Amazon, but the slogans for the campaign which included things like 'Buy Books from People Who Want to Sell Books, Not Colonize the Moon' were pretty great.

‘I love walking into a bookstore. It’s like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.’
—Tahereh Mafi

Bookstores are such a lovely place and books are a necessary part of society. As we are all here on goodreads, I suspect most of you feel similarly. I love indie bookstores but, again, I'm a bit biased. But Readers World in Holland has been my happy place and going into work always feels like coming home. You can support us by following us on instagram or tiktok at @readersworldholland and you might see a familiar face since I do all the social media.

‘Bookstores also stimulate our senses. Being surrounded by books matters,’ Friss writes, ‘sociologists have found that just growing up in a home full of books—mere proximity—confers a lifetime of intellectual benefits.’ Long live books, long live bookstores, and long live libraries. While being a bit lighter than expected, The Bookshop was a fun and fascinating read and those with an interest in the subject matter will certainly enjoy it.

3.5/5

‘Whether in mysteries or memoirs, travelogues or true-crime tales, romances or rom-coms, horror or history, bookstores can be more than just passive backdrops. Bookstores can be actors. Bookstores, even the little ones, can shape the world around them. They already have.’

Also shoutout to libraries. Support your local library as well as your local indie bookstores. I'm lucky enough to get to do both. Sometimes on the same day. Which has, admittedly, confused a few people when they see me twice in one day.

[Callum's Column · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines three passions of mine: bookshops, history, and America. Beginning with Benjamin Franklin as a printer and Founding Father, and ending with the rise of Amazon under the tutelage of Jeff Bezos, the American bookshop has played a central role not just in America's development but also global development. It is, unfortunately, a tale of liberty eroded by the advancement of oligarchic, perhaps even monopolistic, capitalism. Independent bookstores are losing market share to behemoths like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Nonetheless, the bookshop remains central to American culture for entertainment or political persuasion.

This book could have been better. Its chapters are primarily oriented around specific bookstores and people. This is a reasonable layout if the information presented is comprehensive. The author, Evan Friss, rightly provides chapters on black, feminist and LGBT+ bookstores. However, he totally ignores conservative or religious bookstores (only a pro-Nazi bookstore is spotlighted). One cannot claim to write a history of the American bookstore and just highlight those underpinned by progressive politics. Also, almost all the bookstores examined were either located in New York or the New England region—that is hardly a representation of America.

Despite these criticisms, this book was a good read (pun intended). It is an ode to joy for our love of books and the places and people we go to get them. Books shape the world and promote liberty; there is a reason why ideologues want to burn them. My two favourite bookstores are independent and second-hand—Mainly Books in North Perth, and Bill Campbell Books in Fremantle. Each has a wonderful selection of politics, philosophy, and history. Those are my reading interests, yet we are all on Goodreads because we share a love of books and recognise the importance of reading in society. The bookstore is our lifeblood.

Thanks for reading Callum’s Column! Subscribe for free (only your email is required) for new book reviews and political analyses on Australia and the United States: https://callumscolumn.substack.com/

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reading an article the other day about a bookstore in our community called Phoenix Books that had been around for 43 years. It is located in San Luis Obispo, CA for anyone who might be considering coming to visit one day. They are also proud of their online presence. Still, back to their brick-and-mortar reality. That is amazing, when you consider this store has overcome big box stores and the pandemic. One of the comments said by an enthusiastic patron was…

“People love books. They are repositories of knowledge. They will never go out of style.”

That is so true. And, that is what we can say about bookstores, too. We love the feel and experience of being in a bookstore. The smell of it. Going down the aisles. Looking at all the stacks and shelves of books available at our fingertips. In many ways it is almost orgasmic. (Please excuse my enthusiasm, here!)

So, why not read a book about bookstores? Not that readers haven’t read books about bookstores before. But this one wants to tell us a different story about bookstores, in a way. Like the importance of the UPS driver (devoted to delivering books), or Benjamin Franklin (he amassed books for discussion), or how Jeff Bezos created Amazon Books (a different way of selling books). A distinct perspective look, at bookstores.

It even has a story about the tuxedo cat, WonTon who presided over a store (Chop Suey) in Richmond, Virginia that made its’ debut in Gary Shteyngart’s 2018 novel, “Lake Success.”

Of course, many of us who love books about bookstores, have read lots of stories about cats in bookstores. And, to be quite honest, I believe, it intrigues us. It also appeals to the heart in us. We are attracted to the stories – especially if cats are on the cover and are incorporated as a part of the story, too. Dogs on covers and within the story will captivate us, too.

Mostly, this is the story of how much we as readers hunger for knowledge within books. Just like what the enthusiastic patron of one of my community bookstores said above. Does that mean we need this book to give us this?

It definitely is a vigorous defense of books, and I love that about it. And, it has its fun little facts in history, too. But is it a great read?

Well…I think it is anecdotal, and interesting, and somewhat thought-provoking, thoughtful and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of an all right read.

Or…maybe a fun in-between book while reading the novel you are attempting to get through.

Either way, readers won’t be disappointed.

[Nataliya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course I wasn’t going to pass up a book that has both “Bookshop” and “Bookstore” in its title. Even if I’m more of a library aficionado, I’m still bibliotropic*.

* Case in point: a library book bag bought in an indie local bookstore 🥰.

“The right book put in the right hands at the right time could change the course of a life or many lives.”

Bookstores are magical. They are the repositories of nostalgia and quirkiness and that particular book smell that is impossible not to love. Some of my earliest memories are of trying to read as fast as four-year-old me could (so not very fast) while my mother was shopping in a bookstore because there were only so many books one could afford to buy. But they are first and foremost businesses that, despite the stereotype of a quirky bookseller who hates to part with the books, actually need to sell books if they want to survive and continue to delight us and not just turn into another food chain storefront (“The Old Corner helped launch American literature and the American bookstore. Now it’s a Chipotle.”)

“Bookstores also stimulate our senses. Being surrounded by books matters. Sociologists have found that just growing up in a home full of books—mere proximity—confers a lifetime of intellectual benefits.”

Evan Friss takes us on a tour of famous and historic US bookstores, many now out of business, all the way to Barnes & Noble and recent Amazon hegemony, as well as current small resurgence of indie bookstores (which we all should try to support if we can, because who wants to only enrich billionaires while local businesses wilt away?). From Benjamin Franklin’s printing adventures to traveling bookstores (not that successful, really), to street vendors and New York Book Row with the Strand being the leftover, to large department stores making room for books (Marshall Field’s in Chicago), to books becoming less of an elite purchase and more lowbrow via paperbacks sales, to offbeat stores serving as creativity hubs, to specialized stores by race, sexuality and even occasional Nazi leanings (how can one make a bookshop evil? Well, add Nazis to it.). He highlights the role of personalities in bookshops — the booksellers who give them heir uniqueness, and an occasional bookshop cat. Through the stories of each bookstore (apparently “bookshop” is more British which may be why it sounds a bit odd to me) we see different faces and facets of the book selling industry culture in the US, and even if it at times feels a bit like a jumble it’s still interesting.

“He understood that we are what we read. And that what we read is dictated by what authors choose to write, what publishers choose to publish, what printers choose to print, and what, where, and how booksellers choose to sell.”

I’m not sure how exactly Friss made the selection of the bookstores to be featured in his book. It’s very East Coast-centric — but it may be just because huge swaths of the US used to be true book deserts until the advent of the chain stores (actually something in favor of chain stores!). Or maybe it’s just where his interest lies - but I’m not the one to judge as I at least try to live my life according to what interests me. Maybe I would have preferred something a bit more chronological, generalized and focused instead of anecdotal and fragmented, and maybe a bit more geographical variety outside of the East Coast focus — but it’s still overall interesting and fun, even if not perfect. And terrifying to learn about the past existence of Aryan bookstore, the Nazi repository.

And all I know now is how hard it would be to try and be a bookstore owner. Rocket surgery may be easier, really.

“Whether independent or corporate, whether in New York or New Mexico, bookstores have been disappearing. If bookstores were animals, they'd be on the list of endangered species.”

3.5 stars that my bibliophile heart insists I round up.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookstores and bookshops, yes, they are the subject of a book as well as movies. Most times when you read books about bookstores or watch a movie which involves a bookstore you are going be looking at a romantic comedy or cozy mystery. But, into the breach comes author Evan Friss, who actually gives us a non-fiction book about the history of the American bookstore. Yes we're not here to find romance and passion, but instead Friss takes us on a whirlwind tour of the American bookshop from its earliest beginnings up to its current status. This is a fascinating book, one that can be read chapter by chapter as he moves us slowly, but surely through the development of the American bookstore. He takes us back to one of the first, if not the first bookstores in America and that was Ben Franklin's bookstore in Philadelphia. Friss points our that in the beginning most printers/publishers also were bookstore owners. People would come in and chat there would be a free flow of ideas, but the books that were initially sold were either from England or had to do with religion, teaching, or philosophy regarding what became known as the American revolution. He moves us to The Old Corner in Boston, which also had that printing/publication, and book selling area. It was a place where some of the leading thinkers of the early 19th century used to gather. And from there we continue for another 10 other chapters that chart the development of the bookstore. Bookstores in department stores, bookstores on wheels, independent bookstores, sidewalk bookstores, large bookstore chains, Amazon bookstores, and e-books. Yes, Friss runs the gambit of the history of the bookstore, and even as I write, this history is being remade as Costco no longer will sell books in their facilities, and for the first time ever for a six month period of time there were more audible books sold in America than e-books. And the bookstore has to sit there and try to adapt. It is a marvelous story, and is one filled with a lot of quirky characters and also a lot of hope that what we call independent bookstores still have a place in America. A well done book, on a topic that few people have written about, but which most all of us have encountered somewhere along our lives. And while I myself might enjoy buying my books online, I have to admit there's nothing better than going into a bookstore and browsing through the aisles at all the new or used books that are for sale. 4.5****

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was full of things I didn't know about bookstores, from the very beginning in Colonial America (think Benjamin Franklin) to the days of the big box stores (think B&N and Borders) to Amazon and e-readers, finishing up with Parnassus Books in Nashville and the re-emergence of local Indies. I was once a bookseller (never an owner) and I know that whether it was a small local store, a used book store or Barnes & Noble, the love of books was what drove me. Putting a book into the hands of a reader was a joy. This book is well written and personal, not a dry history. At times I felt a lump in my throat. A good read for anyone who loves books.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a captivating book about bookshops’ history in the US. It created an urge to consider owning or running a bookshop.

I did not realize that many department stores used to have a book section within their stores. I learned that Ben Franklin opened a bookstore. Several large indie bookstores are mentioned along with Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Right now booksellers are seeing a resurgence which is extremely encouraging.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels like a book all book lovers should read.

I enjoyed the walk through history, especially the chapters that talked about stores I used to frequent in Boston and NYC. I have great memories of The Strand, The Labyrinth, the sidewalk vendors, the traveling bookstores, Waterstones, and so many more, including the megastores like B Dalton, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. Also really loved all the photos throughout the book.

The Aryan Bookstore was one I hadn't heard of before. Thought it was bold to be named such. Was also surprised that Borders had been owned by K-Mart. Did not see that one coming!

I've complained a few times in my reviews about how much I dislike Ann Patchett's books. Her work with the Parnassus and independent bookstores in general have given me a new appreciation for her. Perhaps I'll give her another try.

Feels like a bookstore is the kind of business I'd open if I had lotto level money. Too risky and too much competition from Amazon. But I can daydream about a community spot. The kind of store I'd go to in Hell's Kitchen (New York City neighborhood where I used to live), with a cafe inside serving the best soups, hot chocolates, and cookies, maybe some live music on weekend afternoons, book readings by up-and-coming authors on the same day as Stephen King, an attic where support groups for various causes dear to my heart can gather, maybe nooks where people can nap (like they have in Japan), and definitely some beautiful spaces where book clubs can meet, authors can write, and special life events (like baby showers) can be held. Then I'd love for my store to make it into some future edition of this book.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It tended to drone, but I have to recognize the depth of historical research that went into this. I think my lack of focus and attentiveness is by no fault of the work itself or the author, but more my brain was expecting something slightly different. I would still recommend bibliophiles with a taste for history to explore this for themselves.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly adequate, if anecdotal and somewhat capricious and selective, history of American bookselling. This book occupies a tricky historical niche in my view. On one hand, it’s too much to tackle for a microhistory approach into which an author could potentially delve really deeply. The topic of bookselling and the intersection of commerce and ideas, of free speech and a free press, across even just one entire nation, is simply too vast. But neither is this book as comprehensive in historical research and chronological scope as this vast topic could easily support: rather, it’s more of a randomly episodic, cocktail-party-fact approach. As a result, I struggled to feel satisfied while consuming this book and I was ultimately left a bit underwhelmed as well as confused regarding some of the author’s scattershot choices of what to cover, and how much. I have a similar experience with many “books about books,” I find: the “whimsical potpourri” or “trivia match prep” effect reigns, and there are always confusing foci as well as bewildering gaps. Nonetheless, it’s engaging enough, and it would make a fine gift for a bibliophile in your life.

[Fred Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well researched book, with lots of references to archives and other primary sources. Not surprising for a book by a professional historian. More surprising is that it is readable and entertaining. Friss follows a roughly chronological arrangement and covers a small number of bookshops in depth, with some others noted in passing. He begins with Franklin in Philadelphia and next moves on to the Old Corner Bookstore/Ticknor and Fields in Boston, a major force in early nineteenth-century American literature. Then he moves to bookshops on wheels, department store bookshops (Marshall Field's), Bookshop Row (NYC), Gotham Book Mart (NYC), The Strand (NYC), a variety of theme-oriented bookshops (feminist, LGBTQ, radical, Black), street booksellers, Barnes & Noble, Amazon. He ends with Ann Patchett's indie bookshop, Parnassus, in Nashville.

This is very much an east coast book; it reminds one of the New Yorker map of the US. Most of the bookshops are in the northeast, mostly in NYC. I will grant the cultural and commercial significance of most of his picks, but he omits or scants a lot. City Lights in San Francisco, at least as significant as Gotham and the Strand, gets only a couple of mentions. Powell's (Portland) likewise. Border's also gets relatively little attention; the Borders in Ann Arbor, originally an indie, was a great bookshop and the chain was higher quality than most of the competition. Barnes & Noble may have been first, but it was never as good as Borders. Antiquarian and second-hand bookshops get relatively little attention. Friss also generally ignores specialty bookshops: mystery, scifi (e.g., Uncle Edgar's and Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis), non-English language books (e.g., Schoenhof's in Cambridge) etc. But they are an important part of the bookshop scene.

This is a pretty good book and I learned a number of things that I hadn't known. But as a history of American bookshops, it is quite selective and spotty. Much is a paean to the indies (Friss is married to an indie bookseller). I like indies and buy a lot of books from them (most recently Moon Palace in Minneapolis). But I also buy from chains and Amazon. People forget that in the days before Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, most places were book deserts. And even if you had a good indie nearby, there was a lot that you could only get by special order and mail order. I only started buying from Amazon, when our really fine local indie was taken over by Books-a-Million (aka, the barbarians from Birmingham) and they told me to take my special orders to Amazon. Which I did, along with much of the rest of my business. When I was a college student, I had to open an account with Blackwells in Oxford to get Latin and Greek books by mail; nobody much in America stocks them (then and now).

Four stars and not three because I am uncomfortable dinging an author for not writing the book that I would have wanted him to write.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both inviting and informative, like any proper bookshop should be! This popular history is very readable, being meticulous in its exploration without ever feeling bogged down by stats or timelines. I think the structure was really smart, sticking to a roughly chronological format while highlighting specific bookshops as exemplars of a particular historical trend or inflection point or key component of the identity of the American bookshop. Choosing to have little palate cleansers between chapters discussing other random bookshops and booksellers was also nice, it added a warmth and familiarity to the text that was welcome.

It feels pretty exhaustive, starting with Benjamin Franklin and ending with brave souls starting in a post-Amazon landscape, yet never exhausting. They are some areas that I would have actually enjoyed a little deeper dive into, especially as the final verdict seems to be that contemporary bookshops exist as social spaces as much if not more than as retail spaces, and that is a wildly interesting phenomenon. He does a good job of chronicling this, from a chapter on politically-aligned bookshops, one on queer activist bookshops, and one on Black activist bookshops, all set up for comparison to Barnes & Noble and its façade of community and comfort as well as to Amazon Books which lacks the pretense of being anything other than pure capitalism. Yet I left the book feeling more intrigued and interested than satisfied, in a way, because it seems like there are a half dozen books waiting to be written just on this very topic. I can’t hold that against this book, though. This is a broad history that does its job very well, condensing a long arc of American history into something that is fun and accessible, with research and writing that is competent and inviting.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Described as, “An affectionate and engaging history of the American bookstore and its central place in American cultural life, from department stores to indies, from highbrow dealers trading in first editions to sidewalk vendors, and from chains to special-interest community destinations”, The Bookshop covers it all.

It explores the history of bookstores, the rise and challenge of chain stores, in addition to spotlighting a few specific independent bookstores, and highlighting how such stores are often staples of their community.

I enjoyed The Bookshop and learned new things reading it. Many bookstores prefer to be called bookshops, which I’m not sure I really knew, yet didn’t find surprising.

The Bookshop was an interesting, enjoyable read. It will resonate with book lovers and avid readers everywhere, there’s something for everyone.

[Stephen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an engaging book that pairs well with THE BOOK-MAKERS by Adam Smyth. I was particularly inspired by the chapters on Gotham Book Mart, Oscar Wilde and Drum & Spear, so much so that while visiting the UK I had to go to and buy something from The People's Bookshop Durham (a collection of poetry by a local poet). The chapter on Parnassus made me wish I'd schlepped all the way out there when I was in Nashville. And the chapter on sidewalk sellers is a nice compliment to the documentary "BookWars."

The chapter on The Strand cleared up a mystery for me: when did it stop looking like a giant, book-filled Red Apple grocery store and more like McNally Jackson? Not that I'm complaining; I found a copy of Ira Levin's SLIVER there recently. And I'm glad the author delves into the (imho criminal) sale of galleys.

The chapter in the Aryan Bookstore was good, but shouldn't have compared it to people's bookstores. The author might have also compared its products to those of today's rightwing imprints, which B&N mainstreamed (to its shame) as much as it mainstreamed (to its credit) gay and Black books.

Indeed, I wanted more from the chapter on B&N--a store I owe my publishing career to (specifically the one at 82nd and Bway) because its selection taught me the industry--on how the beancounters killed their customer promise, especially after the 2008 financial crisis; on how their still crummy website hamstrung their ability to compete with Amazon; and more on why the Nook failed (yet the guy who ran the program got an $8M buyout; I should fail so well at something!) And while Daunt seems to be doing a good job reviving B&N (by turning it into a clone of Waterstones), questions remain. I did appreciate the deep history, though.

Similarly I liked the Amazon chapter, but it could have also been more critical, given how awful the shopping experience has become, but the author does point out that books don't really matter to Amazon anymore.

The only missing chapter is on Borders, whose death demonstrated so many bookshop challenges of our time.

Now to read PARNASSUS ON WHEELS by Christopher Morley and maybe set up a stand outside my own house to sell off my excess inventory. Next time in the city near Avenue A and St. Marks, I'll have to visit Jen Fisher's sidewalk shop to learn the ropes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early look.

[Michael Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a full history of bookstores in America. It is mostly a series of profiles of significant bookstores in the last hundred years or so.

The first sixty pages feature Ben Franklin as a bookseller and the Old Corner Bookstore in Boston. The next three hundred pages take us from Christopher Morley's 1917 book "Parnassus on Wheels" and the traveling bookstores it inspired through to "Parnassus", the bookstore Anne Patchett opened in 2011 as an answer to the Amazon threat to bookstores.

Friss also has chapters on;
the fam0us book department in Chicago's Marshall and Field Department Store,
The Gotham Book Mart, the classic NYC literary bookstore,
The Strand, NYC biggest bookstore,
Barnes & Nobles,
Amazon.
He has a chapter on political extremist bookstores, left and right wing, a chapter of LBGT bookstores and a chapter on sidewalk bookselling. He has interesting vignettes between each chapter.

The bookstore stories are interesting. Friess tends to focus on the marketing and display strategies of the stores. He is good at giving a physical sense of what the stores where like.

He shows how each store aimed at a particular type of buyer. The Gotham Book Store had to be in NYC because it was the only City that had enough of its target highly literary customers. Anne Pratchett in Nashville has done a marvelous job of cultivating readers in her city.

There is very little discussion of the used book market. None of the featured stores are primarily used bookstores.

This is a solid survey of some highpoints and notable moments in American bookstores. It is not fair that I am disappointed in the book because Friss wrote the book that he wanted to write rather than the book I wanted him to write. I would enjoy a full detailed history of American bookstores. That is not what Friss set out to do.

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 1 out of 5]

While The Bookshop provides an enjoyable ride through American bookstore history, I will not be recommending it due to some sexual content.

✏️ Review ✏️

"[Bookshops] can be romantic spaces, places full of discovery, of chance, of wonder. They can be community spaces, activist spaces, political spaces. And they can be refuges, places to lose and find oneself."

From Benjamin Franklin's colonial bookish endeavors, to the online retail giant Amazon.com, from small community-oriented indie bookshops, to nationwide bookstores like Barnes & Noble, The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore takes readers on an enjoyable journey through America's history, highlighting the growth and evolution of bookstores across the nation. This book is informative and the writing style is free from the stereotypical stuffiness which plagues many historical nonfiction books. I did enjoy reading about this historical topic... until the author takes an unnecessary detour to talk about relationships between members of the same sex.

This detour starts with a discussion about a "gay bookstore." In this section, the author includes unnecessary sexual details and references about intimacy between men and other aspects of gay lifestyle (see the Random Comments section below for more details). And as I said, for a discussion on books and bookstores these details weren't at all necessary. Because of this, I only scanned this section for the sake of content warnings.

Otherwise, I did enjoy the bookstore history presented in The Bookshop. Seeing the progressive growth of bookstores in America was quite interesting and fun. Unfortunately, even though The Bookshop would have made a great nonfiction read for book lovers, I will not be recommending it to teens and might only selectively recommend it to mature adults who are aware of the sexual content.

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The chronological presentation of the history of American bookstores.
• The writing style — it's not the stereotypical stuffy writing usually associated with historical nonfiction.
• The photographs that are placed throughout the book.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The LGBTQ+ sexual content.
• The inclusion of some swear words.

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? No, not really.

— Why not? Because of the unnecessary sexual details concerning same-sex relationships.

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 1/5)
~Fundamentals {Nonfiction Version}: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📑 Didactics: 3.5/5

— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5

— 👀 Engagement: 3/5

— 🧩 Clarity: 4/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 2/5

• One use of God's name in vain; two uses of the s-word; one use of the b-word; one use of "h*ll"; and one use of "cr*p."

— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5

— ⚠️ Sexual: 3/5

• LGBTQ+ content (see Random Comments).

• Contains a photograph of a "scantily clad" female-depicting mannequin (p. 109 of the Viking hardcover edition; or for other editions near the middle of Chapter 5).

• A few brief discussions about pornographic books.

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• LGBTQ+ content: Chapter 8 contains a discussion about a "gay bookstore." This chapter contains many sexual details including mentions of sexual acts between men, mentions of men "kissing," mentions men dressing in drag, and many other similar details. Suffice it to say that this discussion contains a lot of sexual content. A few other LGBTQ+ references appear elsewhere throughout the book as well.

• A note about my rating: Despite The Bookshop being an enjoyable historical book, I have decided to give this book a one-star rating due to the sexual content — content that promotes a lifestyle which God in His holy and authoritative Word declares to be a sin (e.g., Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26–27). Had The Bookshop been free of this sexual content, I probably would have given it a three-star rating.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

•Being surrounded by books matters. Sociologists have found that just growing up in a home full of books — mere proximity — confers a lifetime of intellectual benefits. Books offer warmth, comfort, and refuge. (p. 6)

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if this is a complete 5-star on its merits or I just can't help myself. I loved my five years selling books, and I might do it again one day. I've bought books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Square Books, Impression Books, Parnassus, Choctaw Books, Scholastic book fairs, B. Dalton, Libro.fm, but none has ever captured my heart like Lemuria Books. I worry about it all the time, and I treasure my memories and occasional trips back, although my wife has rightly pointed out we need to limit our book in take to make room for our growing family. Ironically, I borrowed this book from my local library, for which I get to buy books (sometimes) and e-books.

This book is organized by representative case, but does a great job remaining readable while reflecting American society. I would highly recommend it to anybody who likes reading. I would highly recommend reading to anybody who loves being alive.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of the book was fairly interesting. The second half was full of woke meandering and political commentary. It wasn’t necessary for the topic.

[Jason Pollard]

Really lost momentum on this one and finally just worked up the courage to drop it! Pretty hyper-focused on NYC to a boring degree. Normally wouldn't bother me, but felt like it needed to pick a lane between being a "definitive" history and exploring the bookshop through specific stores' stories. Maybe it settled more into one or the other in the second half, but I wouldn't know! (On account of, as you've read here, me getting bored!)

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Bookshop” is a very compelling and interesting look at the history of the book selling store from its humble beginnings during Ben Franklin’s time before it’s established name to becoming many types of bookstores over the coming millennium. We read of many different shops, a few that are still alive, and what their identities were and who ran them.

Book lovers will definitely enjoy this historic look of the bookstore and which ones it covers, even if it does get a bit dreary. It does show you that it’s an amazing place for all people to find something to pick up or learn from. A- (91%/Excellent)

[Brian Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books about books often win a high ranking in my book, and Friss’ anecdote-driven tome about bookstores is no exception. It offers something for every bibliophile regardless of reading preference or geographical locale.

From overviews of Ben Franklin’s involvement in the business and thumbnail sketches of several “little, mighty, and resilient independent” shops, to the origins of behemoths such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble, Friss’ work provides a fascinating glimpse into the industry. True, this isn’t a definitive or linear look at the history of the American book industry. It’s more of an eclectic collection of vignettes about a diverse number of bookstores that touches on their marketing tactics, their challenges and some of the colorful characters behind these enterprises.

Like any smorgasbord, not every literary morsel will delight every reader. A few chapters were a tad tedious. The nice thing about this book’s structure is that a chapter or two can be skimmed or even skipped without hurting the overall reading experience.

The book is laced with some “fun facts,” including profiles of sidewalk booksellers and allusions to "bookstore tourism." Also, who knew there was a law on the books for a short period that prevented booksellers from discounting new titles?

The clear takeaway is that bookstores possess magical powers that can help shape our communities.

[Melissa Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight for anyone who thinks there’s magic inside of bookshops.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every bookstore is, in a way, political.

Overall, a rather interesting overview of the evolution of books, primarily as the backbone of community. The true bibliophile will find lots of interest in these pages - even if he / she (like myself) might have preferred more of the genuine human interest stuff (i.e., more inspiring info on those who actually owned / operated stores), as opposed to the less-enthralling information re: street booksellers or faceless entities like Amazon, etc. 

The latter tends to make the book's second half not so much a bit of a slog but, nevertheless, a bit less compelling. Granted, it's clear Friss aimed for a wider, anthropological view of how books - over the centuries - have been used and abused; offered as either sources of enlightenment or more like vulgar commodities. 

Still, the chapters holding more of a personal touch, shall we say, are mainly the ones that make 'The Book Shop' a warm and fuzzy treat; often if not always. 

Nothing is ever completely warm and fuzzy in the book biz - even if many store owners would certainly prefer it that way (note the final chapter that is practically - and delightfully - devoted to author Ann Patchett's desire to take on the superstores and Amazon, which she managed quite successfully). 

Patchett's passion is matched earlier in the book's well-researched chapters on focus stores, like the largely militant Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop and Drum & Spear. The chapters on these two enterprising establishments are actually exciting. 

'The Book Shop' opens with perhaps its best chapter, highlighting Ben Franklin and his own tireless (to say the least) adventures in the book trade (among others), as he set the national tone:

When Franklin first settled in Philadelphia, he felt something amiss: "There was not a good bookseller's shop." That wasn't just true of Philadelphia. In 1719, a visitor to New York pitied the "but one little Bookseller's Shop." That was one more than Virginia, Maryland and the Carolinas had.

Franklin, a fixer by nature, was determined to change the landscape. ... Improvement - at both the personal and national levels - required character building, which demanded reading.

Lots of info tidbits are strewn along the way, i.e.,: for almost all early readers, the only household book to speak of was the Bible; Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' was the nation's first bestseller; most early bookshops were in the Northeast, leaving states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Oklahoma among the disinterested. (Hmm... what *can* it mean?)

For the more politically inclined, there are sections covering things like the bizarre, Nazi-based Aryan Book Store and documentation re: how the government (in the '50s) would crackdown on Socialist-leaning stores, stamping them as beehives of Communism.   

I worked in an independent bookstore twice, both times for several years. I clearly recall the thrill of fostered community evident in both places I worked (first in NYC, then in NE - where customers constantly complained about the blatantly impersonal nature of Barnes & Noble). Memories of those places echoed as I read this book, esp. the sections underscoring the simple loving and sharing, the camaraderie borne of books.

[James Klagge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasure to read. Not exhaustive, but selective--featuring shops that represent various stages and styles in the long story of bookselling. Of course none of "my" favorites were featured, though Politics and Prose was mentioned occasionally. Nevertheless I'll add my 2 cents:
Growing up we had no bookstore in town, so the local library was the main source of books.
Apart from books I bought for college classes, I really didn't start gathering/collecting books until a retiring professor put a bunch of his books outside his office, and I thought I had found a goldmine. (Though don't think I have any of those books anymore.)
In grad school at UCLA I think I mostly relied on the university bookstore, though I bought some books at Westwood Books (I think it was called--no longer around). But I spent some summers in Chicago and I fell in love with my first independent bookstore--Great Expectations, in Evanston https://chicagoreader.com/news-politi... . A marvelous place with an impressive collection of Philosophy books. Allegedly it was once mentioned by Umberto Eco as one of the great bookstores! (It went out of business in 2001.)
Moving to Blacksburg, we had Books, Strings & Things--that sold books and records https://that70sblacksburg.blogspot.co... . That was also a wonderful place, and especially as a source of bootleg CD's in the '90's! It went out of business in the late '90's and was bought out by Booksmith, which hung on for a few years before it too went out of business around 2000. In the era before the internet and pre-Amazon I would study the latest Books in Print to find obscure books that interested me. Then I could order them through BS&T.
I remember discovering Amazon in 1999. I'm sure I used it, but more for used books than new. I really fell in love with Borders. Especially one near where my parents lived between Akron and Cleveland. They had a whole aisle of Philosophy books, though it gradually shrank over the years! (They went out of business in 2011.)
My wife's family lives in Greensboro, so I was delighted when Scuppernong Books opened there around 2014 https://www.scuppernongbooks.com/ . I have enjoyed supporting them, and they have done a lot to become a community site. So it created a real dilemma for me when an independent bookstore finally came back to Blacksburg in the form of Blacksburg Books https://www.blacksburgbooks.com/ . Neither store has a very large inventory, so I mostly support them by special orders, but now I sort of split my orders between them!
While I still occasionally order used books through Amazon, I have tried to find them first at Zubal Books, in Cleveland https://www.zubalbooks.com/ . They used to be a great physical used bookstore, but a number of years ago they went totally on-line. Oh well.
So that's my story. I'm sure all book lovers have stories about their favorite shops. But this book did a nice job of bringing that all back to mind.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very readable, well-paced basic history of bookstores in the US, and probably a great pick if you don’t know a lot about the topic.

Personally I was hoping for something a bit more esoteric, or at least broader in scope. I would have preferred a lot more early history and less common information than things like another re-explanation of the trajectory of Barnes and Noble, which has been repeatedly summarized in basic news articles for years.

There’s more here about “outsider” bookstores than I would have preferred, not because these aren’t extremely important to the history of bookshops, but because the author is saying largely the same things about each one, so this section (which accounts for maybe a third of the book) could have been cut down into a chapter or two and left more space for more interesting and less commonly discussed bookish history.

I’m also not certain focusing purely on American stores was a good decision. There’s brief mention of basics like Daunt Books and the bouquinistes on the Seine, but it’s just rudimentary background information.

In all, I loved the spirit of this book and I think it’s a good place to start if you don’t know much about bookstores, but for great enthusiasts of the topic or those who have some background knowledge, you’re unlikely to get much out of this.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Being surrounded by books matter."

... For a book that has "A History of the American Bookstore" in the title, I expect it to be about history of the American bookstore.

At the start of the book, it started off strong, promising, and I was so excited to learn.

Instead, this book was pretty much mediocre at best. The writing, the presentation, the organization, the audiobook—all of it was okay, and it is not the worst thing that I have consumed. But it also wasn't quite as gripping and captivating as I hoped for. It wasn't as rich and detailed as I thought it would be.

There were bits and pieces that I felt could have been delved into a little more because of how it caught my interest, and understandably there were parts that I felt dragged on for far too long. Sometimes what Evan Friss wrote (and how he wrote it, and/or how the narrator delivered the line) made me go fact-check it for myself because it felt more like his opinion than an actual fact.

I wish I loved it like so many others, so I'm disappointed that I didn't.

[Erik Rostad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about the history of the American bookstore. Evan Friss travels back in time and around the nation to show the history and current status of the bookshop. It amazing how much has changed but how much more has stayed the same. It seems as though there has always been an imminent disaster awaiting bookstores in the form of new technology, declining readership, and bigger and badder competitors. I was struck at the importance of organization for a store, how placement can literally change how "people thought about books, they way they related to one another, and which books customers discovered." I thought the most helpful information was in looking at the failures of Amazon to start their own string of bookstores. They shuttered them all in March 2022. This book made me reminisce about my various bookstore visits across the USA over the past 30 years. It brought back fond memories.

[Robert Sheard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friss’ book is a carefully researched, clear-eyed look at the evolution of the bookshop in American life. It's not a sentimental tribute, but something more useful: a layered cultural history that traces how these spaces have adapted—and often struggled—in response to shifting economic, technological, and social forces.

As someone who opened a small independent bookstore during the heyday of Amazon and big-box discounts, this was a particularly resonant read. I poured heart, soul, and many sleepless nights into my shop. But even passion and community support couldn't beat the hard math. After three years of mounting losses, I sold it. The new owners held on for three more years before closing the doors for good. Reading Friss' account reminded me that my story, while personal, was part of a much larger one. Bookshops have always existed in tension—with commerce, with culture, with the very idea of what it means to sell something as unruly and intimate as a book.

This isn’t a nostalgic ode. It’s more honest than that. And for me, more meaningful.

[Emily Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love books and bookshops, you will love this book. I absolutely ate this up!!

[Samidha; समिधा · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on the history of the American bookstore, with some sprinkles of how public libraries started!