As a lifelong Tucsonan, I feel like I've got the rhythm of the city down. Of course, even newer desert dwellers know our population shrinks every summer when everyone clears out to escape triple digit temperatures. Last summer, I had that notion challenged. See, I was working at a bookstore and every shift—mid day Monday, Thursday nights, Sunday morning, whenever—was Saturday-level busy. 

Now, I'm sure that surge in book shopping can be partially attributed to the beauty of air conditioning and an armchair on a hot summer day—but word on the street is the people of our fair city are particularly big readers. Perhaps that's why we have so many bookstore categories in Best of Tucson®.  

We've got:

Best Bookstore for New Books
Antigone Books  
Barnes & Noble  
Bookmans Entertainment Exchange  
Mostly Books  
The Book Stop  

Best Bookstore for Used Books
Bookmans Entertainment Exchange 
The Book Stop 
Antigone 
Mostly Books 

Best Independent Bookstore
Bookmans Entertainment Exchange
Antigone Books
The Book Stop
Mostly Books
Revolutionary Grounds 

So tell us (with your votes, that is) where to buy books—and escape the heat.