Book Links

• www.booksense.com
  In their own words, Booksense "is both a local and national effort to shine a light on the knowledge and diversity of independent bookstores." They are essentially an umbrella organization designed to get people connected with their local bookstore. They are committed helping people tap into " the knowledge and passion of independent booksellers who share their love of books with their customers and their communities." They publish something called the Book Sense Bestseller List, which collects data from hundreds of independent bookstores all over the country each week to find out what the nationwide independent best selling books are. Additionally, they publish "Book Sense Picks -- a monthly selection of eclectic new books chosen by independent booksellers." They are a great resource for book recommendations as well as the easiest way to find your local bookstore (and their web site).
• www.used.addall.com, www.abebooks.com, and www.bookfinder.com
  are all great resources for finding used or out of print books (my favorite is addall).
• www.powells.com
  is a stellar resource for both new and used books, if you don't have an independent bookstore in your area.
• www.bookshopsantacruz.com
  Bookshop Santa Cruz is an incredible independent bookstore in Northern California; again, a great resource if you don't have an independent in your area.
• www.nyrb.com
  has a fantastic reissue series, allowing you to access books that have been long out of print. Many of my favorite books have come from them. Additionally they publish the New York Review of Books, a well respected book review.
• www.bookforum.com
  this has quickly become one of my favorite book reviews—there's just the right mix of mental-masturbation and genuinely useful book info. (And their reviews are generally well written.)
• www.believermag.com
  For whatever reason, their graphics make me crazy, but they are a great lit. mag. Their reviews are well written, funny, eclectic, and interesting; their magazine is well organized. I am always getting turned on to great books through these guys.
• www.nytimes.com/pages/books
  Yet more book reviews.
• www.pushkinpress.com
  A small publisher doing interesting and beautiful work. Both the content and craftsmanship of their books are to be admired—if only they were the industry standard (sigh...).
• www.archipelagobooks.org
  Ok, try this on for size, these guys are "a not-for-profit literary press dedicated to promoting cross-cultural exchange through international literature in translation." They are truly incredible. Um, hello, a non-profit publisher? (At least, an official one.) They do absolutely gorgeous work and they are giving the english-speaking world access to incredible works they would have no means of reading otherwise.