Faculty Favorites: Bookstores!

by Birdie Keller ’25

My recent exploits have bookstores on the brain. As such, I asked professors what their favorite bookstores in the world are! I had an absolute blast being on the email chain as professors responded and fed off of each others’ responses with agreement and enthusiasm.

Check out some faculty favorite bookstores below – and keep your eyes peeled for next month’s article, where we will feature even more bookstore faculty favs!

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“My favorite bookstore is/was pre-pandemic Moon Palace when they had the Geek Love café inside and served coffee, beer and wine, and the best pizza in Minneapolis.” – Professor Emma Törzs

“Pegasus Books in Berkeley, CA. They have the warmest, kindest staff, and are housed in a sky-blue building that feels really inviting;

“Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco, CA. I had my book launch here, and they put my name on a marquee sign!! So special to me!; 

“[And] The Montague Bookmill in Montague, MA. This used bookstore/cafe/music store is piled full of books, and sits alongside a river. Stepping inside feels like stepping out of time—just imagine browsing books while a river rushes by.” – Professor Sarah Ghazal Ali

“Geiger’s Rare Books in Los Angeles, CA, a bookstore that’s secretly run by mobsters and exists only in Raymond Chandler’s private eye novel THE BIG SLEEP.” – Professor Matt Burgess

“Prairie Lights in Iowa City: This was the literary hub of a literary town. There was a bookseller named Paul who worked there, and when you first walked in, he’d ask you what writers you liked. Then he would walk around the store, giving an improvised lecture on who else you should read immediately and why. By the end of this magical tour, you would somehow have ten books in your arms and feel that you absolutely needed all of them. Also, there was a cafe upstairs with tables dedicated to all the famous writers who passed through the workshop. I still have dreams that I am browsing in this store.” — Professor Peter Bognanni

“Wild Rumpus Books in Mpls! So fun!” – Professor James Dawes