I’m about to say the four most gratifying words that a bibliophile can possibly hear: 18 miles of books.
Close your mouths and stop drooling, nerds! Hypocritical, I know, because it took me a few minutes to recover from fantasizing about running through an 18-mile field, looking at book after book after book after book. The most beautiful ending to this daydream is the fact that it’s actual reality. In New York City, there exists a magical land where every literature geek can make their wildest dreams come: The Strand Bookstore.
The bookstore boasts and incredible collection of new, used, and rare books. In fact, the store actually contains books I never could have even imagine existed. With extensive collections ranging from math to philosophy to best sellers to first editions, the Strand seems able to satiate even the most obscure needs. For the most part, their prices are hard to beat too.
The original store is located at 12th and Broadway, but there are also kiosks in Central Park and recently started a website for users to buy and sell their books. However, for the genuine experience, head down to the main store near Union Square.
One tip (from personal experience): go in with intentions! 18 miles of books is dizzyingly exciting, but also overwhelming- especially for a college student’s budget. You don’t want to get lost in trying to pick just one book. Go in with a favorite author in mind, and ask some of the Strand’s experts for recommendations. I can say with absolute certainty that you’re going to find plenty in this cornucopia of books.
Times a-wasting, so go hit those 18 miles!