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My Favorite Bookstores
The following bookstores, in alphabetical order, are some of my favorites. If you have any candidates you’d like to recommend, please send an e-mail to [email protected], and provide a line or two about the store.
BookmanBookwoman (Nashville)
One of the many “cool” stores on this list, situated in the heart of Hillsboro Village near the Vanderbilt University campus. Used books. New books. Old books. This is a great place to browse and buy. And you never know who you might bump into there.
Books on the Bluff (Townsend, Georgia)
This store has been through a number of iterations, moving with its owner, the late (redoubtable) bookseller, Virginia Hobson Hicks. Her husband, Harold Hicks, and loyal staff still sell new and out-of-print books from this home location.
E. Shaver, Booksellers (Savannah, Georgia)
A perennial favorite place to visit every time I come to Savannah. This location is the destination of the protagonist in Lord Baltimore. Oaks, colonial squares, and history surround E. Shaver. Inside, the books unlock Savannah’s secrets.
G. J. Ford Bookshop (St. Simons Island, Georgia)
A gem of a store located on St. Simons, run by Mary Jane Reed and a knowledgeable staff who can put their hands on the book you’re looking for in about 30 seconds. Located on former Black Banks property (Eugenia Price fans know where that is), the store is surrounded by history dating to the 1500s.
Hattie’s Books (Brunswick, Georgia)
Marcia and Don Stutz and their dog, Mr. Wiggles, make their store an fun and enjoyable place to visit. A sign out front informs the public that Mr. Wiggles is “In” or “Out”. They carry all the books about Coastal Georgia. There is a sofa in side. Come on in and hang out!
Parnassus Books (Nashville)
When the big local indie bookstore (Davis-Kidd) in Nashville closed, renowned author Anne Patchett (view Atlantic Monthly article by Ann) stepped up to the plate and opened a bookstore with her business partner, Karen Hayes. A cool place to buy books and meet book people. I get my Tintin fix there. Would a big chain carry Herge's series?
Rhino Books (Nashville)
A cozy place to buy or sell used books, sit and read. Next to a meat-and-three, pizza joint, and a sub sandwich store. Across from the David-Lipscomb campus. Because of the proximity to my home, this is where my wife and I sell or trade for books. Orson the cat will greet you at the door.
The Tattered Cover (Denver)
This two-storied Denver bookstore has an 1800s look and feel. Wide open floor plan, creaky wood floors, old oak desks, right on the trolley line. It's like stepping back in time.
That Bookstore in Blytheville (Blytheville, Arkansas)
I once visited this place on a book tour. Blytheville is a small town not far from the might Mississip. It was begun by Mary Gay Shipley, one of the independent booksellers who supported John Grisham's efforts when he was selling his first novel out of a station wagon. Something about this store stays on your mind. Maybe it’s the unexpectedness of finding it there.
BookmanBookwoman (Nashville)
One of the many “cool” stores on this list, situated in the heart of Hillsboro Village near the Vanderbilt University campus. Used books. New books. Old books. This is a great place to browse and buy. And you never know who you might bump into there.
Books on the Bluff (Townsend, Georgia)
This store has been through a number of iterations, moving with its owner, the late (redoubtable) bookseller, Virginia Hobson Hicks. Her husband, Harold Hicks, and loyal staff still sell new and out-of-print books from this home location.
E. Shaver, Booksellers (Savannah, Georgia)
A perennial favorite place to visit every time I come to Savannah. This location is the destination of the protagonist in Lord Baltimore. Oaks, colonial squares, and history surround E. Shaver. Inside, the books unlock Savannah’s secrets.
G. J. Ford Bookshop (St. Simons Island, Georgia)
A gem of a store located on St. Simons, run by Mary Jane Reed and a knowledgeable staff who can put their hands on the book you’re looking for in about 30 seconds. Located on former Black Banks property (Eugenia Price fans know where that is), the store is surrounded by history dating to the 1500s.
Hattie’s Books (Brunswick, Georgia)
Marcia and Don Stutz and their dog, Mr. Wiggles, make their store an fun and enjoyable place to visit. A sign out front informs the public that Mr. Wiggles is “In” or “Out”. They carry all the books about Coastal Georgia. There is a sofa in side. Come on in and hang out!
Parnassus Books (Nashville)
When the big local indie bookstore (Davis-Kidd) in Nashville closed, renowned author Anne Patchett (view Atlantic Monthly article by Ann) stepped up to the plate and opened a bookstore with her business partner, Karen Hayes. A cool place to buy books and meet book people. I get my Tintin fix there. Would a big chain carry Herge's series?
Rhino Books (Nashville)
A cozy place to buy or sell used books, sit and read. Next to a meat-and-three, pizza joint, and a sub sandwich store. Across from the David-Lipscomb campus. Because of the proximity to my home, this is where my wife and I sell or trade for books. Orson the cat will greet you at the door.
The Tattered Cover (Denver)
This two-storied Denver bookstore has an 1800s look and feel. Wide open floor plan, creaky wood floors, old oak desks, right on the trolley line. It's like stepping back in time.
That Bookstore in Blytheville (Blytheville, Arkansas)
I once visited this place on a book tour. Blytheville is a small town not far from the might Mississip. It was begun by Mary Gay Shipley, one of the independent booksellers who supported John Grisham's efforts when he was selling his first novel out of a station wagon. Something about this store stays on your mind. Maybe it’s the unexpectedness of finding it there.
