The independent bookstore may be down, but it's not out, according to this essay on the "megalisters"--the online booksellers that sell their wares by the ton, rather than the title.
There's no denying it--I'm as guilty as the next person of taking advantage of the convenience of ordering books online and having them shipped right to me. But there's also no denying that, when I happen upon a mom-and-pop bookstore, I love to go in and browse. Because you never know what you might find.
I think each of these retailers has a rightful place in a book lover's heart. Online sellers, for convenient, targeted purchases, and indie brick-and-mortar stores, for the random treasure hunt.
What say you?
PS -- this weekend, I'll be on the road (or more like up the road, really) in Baltimore at Bouchercon, the big enchilada of mystery conventions.
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