Anyway, a quick post is in order because I have located BOOK NIRVANA and I had to make sure you all knew about it.
This past weekend, I went to New York City for the day for my friend Liz's bridal shower. It was a whirlwind trip. Woke up at 3:45am, fed the baby, left the house by 5am, drove 4.5 hours to the train, took 2 hour train ride to Grand Central, arrived 12:15pm. I had just over 2 hours until the shower, but it was way downtown and I still needed to find some food, so I didn't have a ton of time to sightsee. Thus, I was left wondering: what cool NYC locale is situated between Grand Central and SoHo, that I haven't already seen, where I can spend maybe 45 minutes before this shower?
And it dawned on me.
Strand.
I walked there, and first thing that hit me was the racks and racks of used books lining the outside sidewalks of the store. Nothing over $2. I just about died right there.
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| Just thousands and thousands of this. |
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| This does not do it justice, but I was too book-drunk to take more pictures. |
I frantically browsed in the time that I had, and managed to find 5 good discount books for myself, plus a cute new kid's book for Small Fry. And a Strand t-shirt for me, because swag.
How I long to return here for hours of book-related fugue state.
Readers, have any of you ever been to Strand? Did you love it as much as I did? And did your shopping companions have to call NYPD to eventually have you removed from the store? (I suspect this often happens to truly hardcore book lovers.)
I have not been to Strand, but if i ever make it to NYC it will be on my list. I was recently in London and went to Foyles and I think my reaction was the same as your's to Strand. I was in heaven. I went back a couple times in the few days i was in London just to be near the books. Ah, heaven.
ReplyHmmmm never heard of Foyles, but if I ever make it to London, I will definitely need to check it out!!
Book drunk! I'm going to have to use that the next time I go into a bookstore, hahaha
ReplyI find myself in a constant state of book-drunkenness...
I've never been... but they often offer books signed by authors that you can purchase online (you can even put the message you want signed!) ... so I always get their newsletter. :) Sounds fabulous.
ReplyOoooh very cool! Signing up now!
I've never been there, but I MUST visit when I go to NYC for BEA!
ReplyYES! I imagine they get fairly well flooded during BEA.
I've never been to the Strand - I don't want my brain to explode from the sheer awesomeness of it all :-)
ReplyTanya Patrice
Girlxoxo.com
Haha that is very likely to happen!
I was literally there this week, too! It's absolutely amazing and ughhhhh all the books! The sheer amount of books there is amazing and I found so many great books that were on sale (even a Joyce Carol Oates signed book). I picked up some for friends and one for myself because treat yo' self. I didn't have time to browse the racks outside of the store though... D:
ReplyHow cool! Glad you found some good stuff. I forget, do you live in/near NYC?
Wow, what a friend, what a drive, a train journey, a massive effort and amazing that you found time to be inspired by The Strand! I have only been to NY once and now I have another venue on the list for my return visit! I hope you got time to read on the way home.
ReplyYes, a very good friend of mine...she was one of my bridesmaids 7 years ago and I was excited to now share in her wedding excitement!
I haven't been to the Strand - haven't even been to NYC - but am really looking to go. It's basically a book lover's paradise and your pictures are all so wonderful! I definitely want to go more now!
ReplyAbsolutely a must when you make it to NYC!
So the question of course is what were the five books plus the kid's book? Photo of them? :)
ReplyI've never been...but if I were to go to NYC, I'd definitely go there.
OK fair, I should have posted that! Can you tell this was written in a hurry?? :) Books were: Maine by J Courtney Sullivan, Attachment by Isabel Fonseca, Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenoweth, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, and Shelter Me by Juliette Fay. Kids book was Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha (and Small Fry is fairly well obsessed with it now). :)
OMG! I think I would have died of the happy. What a cool place to be able to visit!
ReplyIf you ever make your way out to these parts, you must go! :)
I have been there and so I admire your restraint! Only five books!
ReplyI think the way to keep from having to be forcibly removed is to have somewhere to go, as you did. Having tickets to a Broadway show will also do it. :)
Ooooh good point! Hmmm that's a great reason to convince my husband to finally take me to Broadway. haha.
What a cool place! The best place to be in :)
ReplyIndeed :)
I need to live in this store... immediately!
ReplyAgreed!!
I haven't been there but my next visit to NYC to visit my daughters might be for BEA, so I don't know if I'll get to the Strand then. But the next visit after that, definitely!
ReplyI have a feeling that place gets pretty packed during BEA anyway...another time might be better!