When I enter a used book store, I pause and say a small prayer of gratitude. Now, now, stop rolling your eyes and hear me out. Used bookstores are magical and mysterious places.
About a decade ago, in an attempt to avoid my still-unfinished doctoral dissertation, I took a job at a local used book store. Sure, the pay was paltry, but the quirky customers and co-workers kept me on my toes. And there were mountains of books! I really enjoyed the work of processing the books customers traded-in and also helping folks find books among a large collection that, at the time, was not cataloged in a computer. Each day was dynamic and pretty fun! Yet, I did not realize much of this place's power until I had the benefit of hindsight.
Like libraries, used book stores are a microcosm. Name a genre and they probably have it on the shelves: paranormal romance, Christian fiction, children's literature, mysteries, cookbooks, classics, beach reads, political commentary, so on and such. In turn, at any moment, folks from all walks of life will be found under one roof, perusing the stacks. Books bring people together.
Used book stores are also a safe place. You can enter freely, linger, and not be expected to spend money. Usually there are functioning HVAC systems and bathrooms. There's often seating, but it's also not frowned upon to plop down in the middle of an aisle with a book. Books won't rush you and the staff seldom will either.
While the diversity of thought and safety that a used book store provides are surely notable, the part that stops me in my tracks is the mystery of the used book store. Like a church or a museum, used book stores house meaningful artifacts. There's the actual craft that went into the writing and publication of a book. This labor and talent should surely be celebrated. There's also an element of the unknown or surprise as you skim the shelves, waiting for your next read to catch your eye.
There's something even deeper. Used books foster a spiritual connection. When you choose to bring home a used book, there's more than the story the book offers. You give an "old book" new life. A book may have carried a stronger meaning than "just a story" for its previous owner. For example, there have been times in my life where I can not divorce the book from the moment. Did the moment give the book power? Or did the book itself define the moment?
Tolstoy's War and Peace went with me on my first trip to India. I was newly married and staying with my in-laws. After our wedding, my husband returned to work in the U.S. and I stayed behind to spend time with my new family. While everyone spoke English with me, most of the conversations around me were in Malayalam, the local language. I was overwhelmed and unsure of how I fit. This whopper of a book gave me a place to land.
When my first child was born, I excitedly hoarded board and picture books that became part of a nightly reading ritual that persists to this day. Dear Zoo; I Went Walking; Barnyard Dance; Snowy Day; I Want My Hat Back; and so many others are stories I hope will stick with me for the rest of my life.
I finished the gut-wrenching Grapes of Wrath during a visit to my mother's house. My husband was traveling abroad for work and I was a new breastfeeding mom. I was enraptured by the tale of Tom Joad and his companions. This book's haunting end put me in a late-night dumbstruck trance. And it was during this time that I saw my son roll over for the first time.
An audio book of Tara Brach's Radical Compassion was my comforting companion on a long drive from Louisiana to my home in Greenville, SC. This was after the first of mom's several medical emergencies our family would address. Brach's RAIN meditation of "recognize, allow, investigate, and nurture" helped me make sense of this tumultuous time.
Rock star Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking guided me through a major friend break-up. I was confused, hurt, and riddled with self-doubt. Palmer reminded me that it's okay to be a bad ass and ask for what I want. Not everyone can help in a way I need and I may not be everyone's cup of tea.
Not too long ago, I purchased a used copy of Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things. In this collection of previously published advice columns, her voice is authentic and unapologetic. Her wisdom is similar in that she encourages people to cut through their own crap and listen to themselves. Strayed's voice is one I need as I engage in deep reflection and shift out of the world of stay-at-home parenting.
Books have been with me most of my life and have held special importance during major life transitions. When I trade-in a book at a used book store, I do it with the idea that at its least the book will bring entertainment or valuable information to someone else. Or, at its best, maybe it will help define an important moment. When I pick up a used book, I wonder about the possibilities it helped its previous owner realize and what moments it might promise me. This exchange is the magical connection, the mystical offering of a used book store.
The next time you visit your favorite used book store, pause, take in a deep breath of the old book smell, and wonder as you wander the aisles. What will you offer or receive?
P.s. As I was writing this, my mind often wandered to musician and author Warren Ellis' Nina Simone's Gum. It is a playful and rich account of important artifacts in his creative life, including a piece of Nina Simone's chewed up gum.
P.s.s. Trivia time! Did you know that Western NC can claim Nina Simone as one of its own? She was born in Tryon, NC and was valedictorian at Asheville's Allen High School for Girls.
P.s.s.s. Not too long ago, I asked my social media friends what their favorite used bookstores were. They are listed below. Comment with your favorite book store and I will happily add it to the list!
Mr. K's Used Books in Greenville, SC; Asheville, NC; & Johnson City, TN
Goodwill’s SecondStory in Greenville, SC
As The Page Turns in Travelers Rest, SC
Downtown Books and News in Asheville, NC
Joy of Books in Hendersonville, NC
Friends Books on Main in Rock Hill, SC
Powell's Books in Portland, OR
Open Books in Chicago, IL
Strand Books in New York City, NY
Green Apple Books in San Francisco, CA
Better World Books, online only
There are a couple on your list I think I need to read! Friendship lost being the hook. Hmmm. And I love the smell of a used bookstore too Wendi! It’s kind of like a library but with a hint of depth. 😉 I haven’t found my used bookstore here in the Durham/Chapel Hill area yet but I’m looking!
While this may not be an appropriate question to ask, was there a book you found meaningful or helpful when you lost you dad? I mean, you might have been in that grad school hell where extra reading wasn’t an option….but I found myself wondering.
Awesome article dear friend! Can’t with for the next one!
I love used book stores. I love book stores in general, but especially used ones. I love to walk amongst the books and smell them. I know that’s weird, but I really do. I love some of the books you mentioned, Tara Brach and Chery Strayed. I also didn’t know that about Nina Simone who I also love!