Reading the Room

A Bookseller's Tale

by

Paperback, 100 pages

English language

Published May 8, 2024 by Ode Books.

ISBN:
978-1-958846-69-8
Copied ISBN!

View on OpenLibrary

5 stars (1 review)

Reading the Room is Paul Yamazaki's love letter to the work of bookselling and an engaged life of the mind.

Over twenty-four hours, Paul Yamazaki leads us through the stacks of storied City Lights Booksellers in San Francisco; the care and prowess of his approach to book buying; his upbringing in a Japanese American family in Southern California and moving to San Francisco at the height of revolutionary foment; working with legendary figures in the book publishing industry like Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Sonny Mehta, and others; and his vision for the future of bookselling.

1 edition

reviewed Reading the Room by Paul Yamazaki

short little book to appreciate bookstores

5 stars

was pushed to read this after seeing it in bookstores a lot recently by talking to a park ranger who is friends with Paul and told me about both their roles in the SF State student strike in the 60s

it’s delightful—he seems delightful—, and the short book made me appreciate more the intention that goes into city lights specifically and well-curated bookstores more broadly. I would like to be Paul’s friend, hope to someday meet him (surprised I haven’t yet)

Subjects

  • City Lights Booksellers
  • bookselling