I was recently asked by a TBTP reader who is planning a brief visit to New York City to suggest some independent bookstores that are located in Manhattan and are not the much touted Strand.

My first pick is located in the West Village offering an intimate and personal indie bookshop experience. Three Lives & Company is basically a one room bookstore, but what it lacks in choice it makes up for in the helpful recommendation of the well-read staff.

Another small, but well-stocked indie shop in Greenwich Village worth a browse is Codex  located at the corner Bleecker Street and Bowery. Specializing in quality secondhand books, Codex is a good choice for literary fiction and art.

Alabaster Bookshop is another good choice in Manhattan and it’s located a short hop from the famous Strand, if you feel the need to make a pilgrimage. Alabaster is packed with reasonable priced secondhand books and it’s handy if you’re in Union Square .