Bookstore Tourism: Alaska

Despite the fact that there are tens of millions of Spanish speakers and readers in the United States, there is a chronic shortage of Spanish language books and bookstores throughout the nation. New York City-based artist and educator Pablo Helguera has created a unique way to highlight the issue. Libreria Donceles is a traveling pop-up bookstore, art installation, and cultural meeting space with more than 10,000 donated Spanish language books.

The traveling bookshop/exhibition has surfaced in Boston, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Brooklyn. Now it’s popped-up in Anchorage Alaska of all places. Sponsored by the Anchorage Museum, which is well worth a visit, the Libreria Donceles is selling low cost books and serving as a cultural center, performance and workshop space until January 2019.

 

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Every Book Lovers Dream

When Paul Morris was forced by ill health to retire from his beloved Bookmarks Bookshop in beautiful Cardigan, Wales, rather than sell the business he decided to raffle it off. To qualify for the prize, customers only needed to make a minimum purchase of £20. The shocked winner of the raffle, which included the bookstore and its entire stock, was Netherlands native Ceisjan van Heerden. The 30 year-old jumped at the opportunity to become the proprietor of Bookmarks and announced that he would manage the shop in partnership with a friend from Iceland. Now van Heerden and friend get to live out every bibliophile’s fantasy of running a bookstore. A big plus for them is the business location in the lovely seaside town in West Wales.

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Fall Into Autumn

One of the few unsullied pleasures left to us in the waning days of the failing American experiment is our annual Fall foliage extravaganza. In just about every corner of this once great nation, nature provides an awe-inspiring show of color, texture, and aroma.

If you are considering any seasonal foliage leaf viewing, or just aiming to spend some time in nature, this Fall Foliage Map is a great planning tool. The helpful tourism folks at Smokey Mountain Park put together a super map and website each year. Although they are based in the beautiful southeast, their map encompasses the entire country.

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European Heritage Journeys

In conjunction with European Heritage Days 2018, UNESCO has launched a new web platform solely dedicated to sustainable travel to European heritage sites. World Heritage Journeys is co-funded by the European Union and promotes sustainable travel to some of the most remarkable World Heritage sites in Europe. It encourages people to travel beyond the major tourist hubs, staying longer and experiencing more of what the local region has to offer.  This initiative is part of a new alliance formed between UNESCO and National Geographic.

 

World Heritage Journeys invites travelers to travel along four cultural heritage itineraries—Royal EuropeAncient EuropeRomantic Europe and Underground Europe—which intertwine to tell fascinating stories of Europe’s heritage and history. The website has practical information and tools to support travelers in planning their European holidays based on local knowledge about the destinations’ cultural heritage.

World Heritage Journeys: www.visiteuworldheritage.com

World Heritage Properties (33)

 

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Books for Fighters

The sign in the photo taken in Barcelona in 1938 reads “give books to fighters”. The campaign collected reading material for anti-Fascist volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.

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It’s Caturday

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A clown can get away with murder

The always on-point street art collective INDECLINE recently completed a stealthy appropriation of an advertising billboard in Los Angeles to continue their attack on the ongoing shitshow in the White House. The clever work manages to reference 1970s serial killer John Wayne Gacy and the clown-in-chief’s comment about shooting someone on 5th Avenue in NYC and not alienating his moronic followers.

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Coffee Makes The World Go Round (cont.)

Last week coffee played an inordinately large role in stories on TBTP. This week, I thought that I would follow-up with some feedback from readers on their favorite joe joints. The first suggestion that I received was from Micheal W., who offered a twofer—a coffee shop that is also a bookstore.

Michael’s preferred coffee spot/reading hangout is State College, Pennsylvania’s beloved Webster’s Bookstore & Cafe . The quirky downtown spot is a refuge for Happy Valley’s university students, staff, locals, and visitors. I actually spent sometime in Webster’s previous book/cafe years ago when I was at the Penn State University for a work conference. So I understand the affection for this institution, which is packed with more than 80,000 secondhand books and tons of vintage vinyl.

Webster’s was an early pioneer in sourcing Fair Trade and organic coffees. The shop also has been the go to cafe for vegan and vegetarian fare for decades. You can depend on the shop for both a great cup of coffee and terrific food. If you visit, be sure to check-out the Telepoem Booth. This installation, which is actually a retro-fitted 1970 phone booth, allows visitors to dial up recorded poetry on an old school rotary telephone—ask your grandparents about that. If you have a fav coffee spot from your travels, hometown, or university days, comment or message me.

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You won’t believe what happened next

 

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Little Free Library On Wheels

Westport, Connecticut-based writer Jane Green is a big supporter of the Little Free Library project, but when she was prevented from building one in her own neighborhood she came up with a novel solution—the Remarkable Bookcycle. Green’s mobile free library was created from an old three-wheeled cargo bike and decorated to pay homage to a defunct beloved Westport bookstore called the Remarkable Bookshop. Although the store closed more than twenty years ago, Green fondly recalls the bookshop’s place in the town’s literary community.

Throughout the summer, the Remarkable Bookcycle has been visiting local beaches, parks, and public places distributing free books to all interested readers young and old.

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