Intimate Wonder

Places of wonder abound. Or do they. This is something I wonder about. Does wonder have more to do with mood/temperament of observer or with design/purpose of place. By the way, I am leaving the question marks out on purpose. In order to convey the certainty of my lack of certainty. These are not rhetorical […]

Within Reason

As far as requests go, Unnameable Books in Prospect Heights makes a reasonable one.

The Bookstores of Sanibel Island

  Today I spent the day bike riding around Sanibel Island, some thirty minutes off Florida’s west coast. It’s a touristy happy place, with colorful restaurants, miles of beaches and an infinity of seashell souvenirs. But, what impressed me the most about this quiet coastal village is the number of independent bookstores it has. Three. Three solid […]

Ivy League Sex Education

On a recent trip to New York City I made an obligatory stop at The Strand bookstore, quite possible the world’s best. Their poetry section is so rich with options that it is almost impossible not to make an interesting discovery. Among the discoveries I made is Taylor Mali’s book “What Learning Leaves.” I picked it because […]