Great Independent Bookstores

I love the smell of books, that distinct combination of wood pulp and ink that assaults you when you walk into a bookstore. Whenever I am traveling, I check out the local independent ones, browsing through the shelves, pickomg up books and reading the first paragraph and a few in the middle, in hopes of finding a true gem.

Below I have listed some excellent independent bookstores, a list that will be continually revised. One of the best ways to find a good new book is to go to the person who is in charge of stocking a good, independent bookstore. Or…develop a group of friends, offline or online, and let them make recommendations.

On the other hand, recommendations only go so far—sometimes we can’t stand the books even our best friends recommend. Other times, we pick a book at random and go through it in one sitting. The only other guideline I know for finding a great book? Stay away from anything that has New York Times bestseller written on top of it.

Here are some great bookstores that I've personally enjoyed:

Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd.
Corte Madera, California

Calistoga Bookstore (When you visit, give my regards to Sara the cat.)
1343 Lincoln Avenue
Calistoga, California

Copperfield's Books
Several locations, including
Santa Rosa and Napa

The Depot Bookstore (Charming location, great tea...what more could you ask?)
87 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, California

Four-Eyed Frog Books (For all you Sea Ranch visitors--you gotta get tired of looking at the ocean sometime.)
39138 Ocean Drive
Gualala, California

The Well Read Coyote (Slide Rock in Sedona was my favorite place as a kid. This store is almost as much fun.)

3190 W. Highway 89A
Sedona, Arizona