Friday from the Archives: “The Magic of a Reading Place of My Own” an essay by Emöke B’Rácz and “City Lights Bookstore and Cafe” an essay by Nina L. Anderson from NCLR 1993 and 1996
by Layla Hope, intern
What better way to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day than by looking back at stories that show why books, and the places we get them from, matter. Supporting these independent bookstores can build a community, celebrate local artists, give money to small businesses instead of big chain companies, and allow for curated events giving you an opportunity to discover new authors.
In her 1993 essay, Malaprop’s Bookstore (Asheville) founder Emöke B’Rácz tells a powerful story: growing up in Hungary, at the age of two she saw the government take her father’s books–and him–away. Her father was very passionate about reading to her every night; when he returned 3 years later from labor camp, he kept that passion and continued reading to her. This lead to her wanting to open a bookstore of her own and finding her own passion for books. To her, a bookstore isn’t just a shop: “The house that holds the books is the house of deepest magic.”
“We believe that the mightiest power is in words, in books, and that the freedom to read is as essential as life.”
In the 1996 issue, Nina Anderson visits City Lights in Sylva, an incredibly well-stocked bookstore in a very small town. She describes it as a “comfortable meeting spot for all kinds of folks, providing good reading, good food, great music, good artwork, and a real mountain hospitality.” She even mentions the store cat, Miss Kitty, and the various people who like to visit: college students to local mechanics to barbers.
This weekend, go support your favorite local independent bookstore! The celebration is in it’s 13th year and over 2000 local indie bookstores are participating across the country. While it is sponsored by the big publishers, it is truly an “rising tide lifts all boats” and provides much needed visibility and income to stores, small publishers, and local authors.
Check out these stories in the 1993 and 1996 issues of the NCLR.
