The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore
By Evan Friss
Published by Viking
In The Bookshop, author and James Madison University Professor Evan Friss, PhD, is an engaging tour guide who takes readers through the influential history and passion-driven business of book selling and bookstore ownership.
Here, Friss talks with Authorlink.com contributor Kristin Clarke, CAE, about the myriad pioneers, social outliers, and quirky characters who created and cultivated the diverse cultures within America’s “weird” but “powerful” bookselling spaces.
From landmark stores such as New York’s The Strand to barely-there specialty shops giving voice to America’s underrepresented, underserved citizens, the tales of their successes and failures reveal the moving determination and courage needed by mission-oriented owners to ensure that books of all types remain accessible, enjoyable, and informative to their customers.
Fewer than 6,000 U.S. bookstores are left after the emergence of Amazon, Target, and Cosco as transactional sellers. Combined with the rise of radio, TV, the internet, and historical and modern political fears of the galvanizing and sometimes revolutionary reality of book content, people have long predicted the permanent demise of independent or small-chain book retailers. Mercifully, although Friss calls them “endangered,” bookshops persist.
But whether the resilience, grit, and books-over-profits mindset of many owners create enough fuel to propel them to long-term sustainability is an uncomfortable guess, even as Friss notes that the need for them is undeniable. Their unique roles as destinations for relaxation, refuge, fellowship, education, and social justice remain even more vital in today’s stressful, polarized world. By the time people flip the final page of The Bookshop, they, too, may find themselves increasingly willing to forego a few bucks saved with an online warehouse in favor of purchasing books from community-building, customer- service-oriented local shop owners who actually read.
About the author
Evan Friss is a history professor at James Madison University.
I’m an award-winning writer, editor, and marketer specializing in association/nonprofit communications, editorial work, marketing, education, and nonprofit management. As a CAE and former association executive director, I create and curate content to engage and educate members, donors, media, and stakeholders. My specialty is translating expert and peer wisdom into relevant stories, knowledge, and policy statements that help others enjoyably learn and organizations accelerate their progress. I also help transform and communicate an organization's value proposition and bottom line by showcasing its benefits, goals, and impacts. Healthcare, education, and leadership are particular interests of mine.
