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.

1998 Winner: The Book Mark 1996 Winner: The Haunted Bookshop 1995 Winner: The Book Mark

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