Although some of you may not believe it, your personal Valet Reader went on an adventure this weekend. Bear in mind I had originally thought that my incredibly busy weekend schedule would prevent me from doing much out of the ordinary. I woke up on Saturday, watched some cycling and decided to head out for a cup of coffee at Philz. And yes, it was my first time there and yes, it was a very good cup of coffee. Seeing that I was not too far from the first stop on the Indie Bookstore Tour, I couldn’t resist. So folks, for your reading pleasure I present to you, the Valet Reader’s review of the 2009 Independent Bookstore Tour!
12 PM – Get Lost Travel Books
Being my first trip this store I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Although it may not seem that way at the moment, given the reviews I’ve posted, I am a big fan of travel books whether they be guidebooks or literature and this shop had plenty to offer. Of course catering to travel related literature they also carried other travel related items such as road maps, bags and nick knacks. It also appeared as though they had a pretty strong selection of translated works in the shop as well.
Since it was the first stop of the day and I was in the buying mood I did make one purchase. I made sure though that it was not a book on my list and it had to peak my interest. Expect to see my review of “China Underground” by Zachary Mexico in the near future.
The group on the tour was quite large so I wasn’t really able to gauge the knowledge of the employees on their materials, but I am certain they know exactly what they have, where it is and who would benefit from it. So, if you’re looking to get away sometime soon and want to learn more about that distant land stop by and help yourself by going to Get Lost.
Get Lost Travel Books, 1825 Market Street
1230 – The Green Arcade
What Struck me about this shop was it’s atmosphere. Perhaps it was the old jukebox on the wall letting out some classic tunes or the wide variety of books on the environment, the green movement, sustainability and food. Sure they have some of the larger well known titles that sell like hot cakes but they also offer some titles that you wouldn’t or don’t find at the other shops around town.
I very nearly bought a small book which was filled with information, pictures, newspaper stories and such regarding Mexico’s Day of the Dead. Sure it seems like this would be something you would find at Get Lost but nope, here it was. In the end though, I decided it really was just a decorative piece and should save my money.
There are only two people who work at the shop and Patrick Marks spoke to our group about his shop and all the events that they have going on. Check out their site to learn more.
Ps. They also sell a great Hubbard raised relief map of California for those of you interested.
The Green Arcade, 1680 Market Street
The Green Arcade, 1680 Market Street
1 PM – Bibliohead Bookstore
Ok, somehow the itinerary I posted wasn’t right. The following stop was at a bookstore I’ve been to numerous times and always enjoy walking into. Bibliohead offers a lot of cheap used books alongside a very nice collection of new books. I also always enjoy checking out the art they have on the walls which is also for sale.
I snuck ahead of the group to get to Bibliohead before the mob descended to see if I couldn’t find a few of the books on my list that I’ve been unable to find. Unfortunately I went 0 for 3 but still had a good time browsing.
Again, I almost made a purchase but decided that I didn’t really need to own the 1996 Merriam Webster Geographic Dictionary. Despite it being very cool and interesting the thing was a brick and I really didn’t want to spend the rest of the day walking around with it. Perhaps it’ll still be there the next time I’m in Hayes Valley.
Bibliohead, 334 Gough
130 PM – Great Books Symposium
Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of the bookshops visited. I’ll admit it, I’m not the world’s largest intellectual. I don’t find a ton of comfort in curling up with Homer’s “Odyssey” or Boethius “The Consolation of Philosophy.” While there is no doubt that each is fascinating it just didn’t strike a chord with me.
For those of you out there that enjoy pulling every last dredge out of philosophy and the other classics which are considered “great books” this shop will welcome you with open arms.
The Symposium though is not strictly a bookshop. They offer a multitude of classes regarding the reading materials they have. Provided for each class is a leader who guides the discussion rather than exert their own opinion. The idea is similar to that of a book club only I don’t know of many book clubs that are reading Plato and Aristotle. The first class is free, so give it a shot!
Symposium Great Books Institute, 325 Hayes
Symposium Great Books Institute, 325 Hayes
130 PM – The Booksmith
If there is one bookstore on this list that you are most likely familiar with it’s this one. Located in the heart of the Haight this large and very nice bookstore has a lot to offer.
Being so far away from the previous stop I decided to get to walking to The Booksmith a little early (leaving the Symposium after a few minutes). Obviously this is no short jaunt and by the time I arrived I was slightly concerned that the tour could have already come and gone. Low and behold, I had beat them there (I guess they were walking too).
The Booksmith really doesn’t need much of an introduction. They are constantly entertaining the likes of big name authors as well as offering events of all sorts throughout the year. They were kind enough to once again help me in finding a few books from my list and offered the group Sangria and free copies of a DVD titled “Paperback Dreams, The Life & Times of the Independent Bookstore,” that I have yet to watch.
I figured it would be completely appropriate for me to purchase a book at the last stop since I bought one at the first. So, this time I walked away with David Foster Wallace’s “Broom of the System.” I know, not exactly new or hard to find but I had been looking for an opportunity to pick it up.
The Booksmith, 1644 Haight
The Booksmith, 1644 Haight
So there you have it, the rundown of a very enjoyable several hours. While I didn’t actually end up meeting very many people I did have the pleasure of meeting a few of the organizers from Conversational Reading, The Center for the Art of Translation and The Quartley Conversation. Thanks guys for putting this event together, it was a good time.
All in All:
Time Spent: about 3.5 hours
Miles Walked: about 2.5 miles
Bookstores Visited: 4
Other Stores Visited: 4 (I get distracted)
Books Purchased: 2
Cups of Coffee Drank: 3 (1 x Philz, 2 x Blue Bottle)
Blue Bottle, just for good measure
