Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Beautiful morning out there, and so far, not too humid. Don and I had yet another stimulating conversation on the porch glider while sipping our second cup of coffee. I want to take advantage of these coolish mornings on the porch while I can. Now he’s off to recycle.

Yesterday, I received an email from The Mysterious Bookshop, one of my all-time favorite bookshops, which is located in Manhattan. This is a world-famous bookshop, packed to the very high ceilings with mysteries as well as a splendid Sherlock Holmes collection. I’ve written about it before on this blog, devoting more than one post to its riches.

I’m on their mailing list and yesterday’s weekly email pulled me up short. I’m going to quote from part of the message from Otto Penzler, the owner. After wishing everyone well, he says:

…a grateful shout-out to our many customers who were so supportive while we were forced to close our doors. The kindness and generosity shown by long-time friends of the store, as well as by newer ones, has warmed my heart.

We are not out of the woods. A large percentage of New York’s population remains nervous about taking public transportation so we are seeing virtually no foot traffic. We have been a tourist destination for many years but there are no tourists. We have a sign on the door that limits the number of customers to six at a time, which is hilarious as we don’t have six browsers a day, much less at one time.

A recent report indicates that 76,000 of approximately 350,000 small businesses in New York will never reopen because of COVID-19. We are the last mystery bookstore in New York (there once were six) and are determined to be here for a long time.

We know you have many choices when it comes to where you purchase your books. But while many superstores do not depend on book sales, we do. That is why we are asking you to remember us for your book purchasing needs. If you cannot come to our store, we are happy to help you over the phone, email, or through our Mysterious Bookshop website. We are grateful to be the store you turn to when looking for that perfect mystery or unique gift and hope to continue that tradition for years to come.

I was alarmed. The bookshop is located in Tribeca and most people would have to take public transport to get there. It isn’t in Midtown. It isn’t on the Upper West Side. It’s way down in Tribeca. Unless you live nearby, you have to take the subway. Or a cab. Or an Uber, etc. All of which involve contact with other people, which leaves most people understandably wary.

They don’t even get 6 browsers a day. That’s what really shook me.

I love this bookshop. So I decided to order two books from them, right away. I’ve been wanting to order Michael Connelly’s newest and of course I want Louise Penny’s newest, which will be published on September 1st. Now, I looked them up on Amazon. I could save close to $15.00 on the Connelly if I ordered it from them, and I’ve got free shipping because I have Amazon Prime. And I would save on the Louise Penny, as well – close to $10.00. That’s what Amazon can do and that’s why they are a threat to independent bookshops, always, but especially during this time. They can slash prices when independent bookshops cannot.

But we need to support independent bookshops. They are struggling during this pandemic. The Mysterious Bookshop has been around for years. I can’t imagine New York without it. I can’t imagine my world without it. So, despite the temptation from Amazon wafting off the screen, I called the shop and ordered both books. It’s most likely a drop in the bucket in the big picture,  but I hope more people read that message and decided to do the same. If we all do that, we’ll help save our beloved bookshops.  I’m as guilty as the next person, you know. I sometimes order from Amazon because I need something quickly. But I’m determined to change that behavior, to think first of ordering from an independent bookshop.

The people that work at The Mysterious Bookshop are incredibly knowledgeable. I’ve stood there perusing books while listening to conversations between the staff and customers, many of which centered around, “Could you recommend a book that…?” The replies from staff were astonishing in their breadth of knowledge and their willingness to find just the right book for that customer. Can Barnes and Noble do that? No, not by a long shot. Can Amazon do that? No. You’ll get some recommendations but they’re driven by an algorithm. They’re faceless; without nuance, without subtlety.

I’ve found the same kind of response at Oblong Books. And at Faulkner House Books in New Orleans. And at Shakespeare and Company in Paris. And, with a staff that has an extraordinary knowledge of literature, at John Sandoe Books in London.

They’ve all suffered great losses during this pandemic. Shakespeare and Company is open again, as is John Sandoe. Our bookshops here, if open, are operating with restrictions in place that often include no browsing. So we need to step up and order from them. We need to call them and have the same conversation we would have if we were there in person: “What do you recommend?”

I realize I’m preaching to the choir, but yesterday’s email from The Mysterious Bookshop shook me. Our means are very modest, but surely I can order something from them and say I’m fine with it costing full price and I’m fine with paying for shipping. They deserve it. They deserve my business.

Also, I want to recommend a documentary that just came out called The Booksellers. It’s all about the world of rare books and those who sell them and it is absolutely wonderful. You can rent it on Amazon Prime and on YouTube and probably elsewhere. I recommend it highly.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.