[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive] |
|
Best Books--Independent
The Book Mark
READERS' PICK: Some people are content to read what they're told everyone else is reading, never looking beyond the bestseller list. Others look forward to hours of browsing aimlessly through the shelves, scanning jackets, reading flaps, drifting from fiction to non-fiction, specialty to specialty, seeking out the unexpected. It is to these bibliophiles that The Book Mark's been catering since 1958, boasting more than 200,000 new books for your perusing pleasure. It specializes in local authors, regional literature and community outreach including weekly readings, signings and poetry gatherings. The knowledgeable staff will move heaven and earth to find even the most obscure request; and its long-standing commitment to supporting and promoting Tucson's literary scene remains unsurpassed. READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Antigone Books, 411 N. Fourth Ave. The hero of Sophocles' early tragedy, Antigone is famous for defying authority to do the right thing. She, of course, had to die. But her Tucson namesake shows no signs of doing the same. Since 1973, Antigone has continued to expand and improve, becoming one of the oldest and largest feminist bookstores in the nation. Antigone's is more than just a bookstore: It's a convergence of the intersecting strands of our community; a celebration of unity and diversity; a catalyst for pride and healing. It also carries irreverent cards, rare music and unique gifts like the window display demonstrating a book called Make Your Own Dinosaur Out of Chicken Bones. In an era when independent and alternative bookstores are becoming increasingly rare, we're happy to see a store this good continue to thrive.
A REAL SCREAM: It wasn't long ago that the typical Tucson
bookstore was small, local and idiosyncratic--just the way we
liked it. Return to your roots at Coyote's Voice, an eclectic
little shop at 16 South Eastbourne, in the Broadway Village center.
Here the emphasis is on quality, not quantity. Owners Tania and
Jon Messina have been hand-selecting their stock since 1988. In
addition to their thoughtful and regionally flavored selection
of fiction, they have one of the most interesting (if modest)
selections of architectural books in the city. They aim to provide
books that read rather than inform: travel books emphasizing narrative
rather than stock-and-trade guides; and a cooking section that
caters more toward cultural commentary than food preparation.
If your cries for a literary haven have heretofore gone unanswered,
trot on over to Coyote's Voice. And if you must have coffee, we
recommend Stacia's, right across the way.
|
|