Booksellers Gone Wild

Brief Report from the Annual Booksellers Conference

This week, almost a thousand booksellers descended upon Cincinnati for the annual Winter Institute. I went with three members of our staff, which was very fun, like a grown-up field trip.

Aatia is in charge of marketing, Amali is in charge of events. Nick (not pictured) was in charge of watching his team lose the superbowl. (Sorry, Nick.)

One of the highlights was getting to spend time with Michael, pictured above, who was in charge of our events for the first five years, before he cruelly abandoned us for sunny California. (We understand.)

Another highlight was getting to hug two of my author/bookseller sisters, Lauren Groff and Leah Johnson, who are bringing books and energy and (see above) deranged joy to Florida and Indiana, respectively.

Leah won Best Dressed every single day.

The best part of any conference is seeing friends from near and far. This is my friend Christine, who owns WORD in Greenpoint and Jersey City, one of my very dearest pals. Did I take pictures of all my other dear pals? No, I didn’t! But I did make a little list of people I love seeing (like the opposite of a murder list) and sent them all postcards today.

Another thing I like to do when traveling is experience the local delights. Above, see Nick and Michael photographing their Skyline Chili. I learned about Skyline in Curtis Sittenfeld’s very excellent novel Eligible (Pride and Prejudice, but in Cincinnati!) and so I texted her and asked what to order. As ever, Curtis has yet to steer me wrong. It was…wetter than other chili? A bit sweeter, maybe? I love anything covered with cheese. Would eat again.

Pam from BINC also believes in local delicacies and had an entire carton of Graeter’s ice cream at their booth. Imagine—this woman cares about supporting booksellers’ mental health AND dairy needs. Truly a superhero of the book community.

I was delighted to see Sarah Gerard with her new book, a memoir about her friend’s murder, a book that has led Sarah to become a licensed private investigator. I met Sarah a thousand years ago when she worked at McNally Jackson in Soho, and then hired her as one of our very first booksellers, and it was a joy to see her. I can’t wait to read the book.

Another surprise! Rainbow, she of the best dresses and the best necklaces and the (of course) very best books. She had run out of galleys by the time I got to her, but I will get one eventually, and that’ll have to be enough. (Sob.)

Don’t worry about me, though. I did collect enough books to fill a huge box to send home. This is not even all of them. New Taffy, baby!!!!!!! I am pumped.

Another highlight, one too awe-struck to photograph, was that I got to hang with three of the coolest writers I’ve ever met, all women approximately a decade older than me, and smart and gorgeous and fashionable and brilliant. Let’s hope no one shows them this, because I will be embarrassed (just kidding, I am never embarrassed about fangirling, I live to fangirl), but Danzy Senna, Rachel Kushner, Miranda July…..I bow at your feet. May I live to become half as cool someday. Their new books all sound so good, and are beside my bed, where I hope to subliminally absorb some of their brains as I sleep. In a not creepy way.

Next year in Denver!