I do not condone adding links to Amazon.com simply because they might pay me a pittance if hundreds of people end up clicking on my book links and buy books from them. They are the WalMart of the book world.
Instead, I would ask all of you who love books to patronize your locally-owned bookstore. These stores are run by people who read and love books. Who know what to put in front of you, who care about what books are in each section. They order these books themselves, not simply receive them from a central processing center.
Yes, it's fun to browse Barnes & Noble. At least they have a real storefront. If you know how to find what you want, and you know what is quality, you can find things on your own. But Barnes & Noble and other chain bookstores are full of people, often teenagers, marking time until they get better jobs. Local bookstore owners who care about the quality of the books they carry and the service you receive, and enter into active relationships with authors and customers.
There are many wonderful, locally-owned, independent bookstores to be found. Here are a few I have enjoyed greatly.
Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon: Proof that an independant bookstore can be gigantic and still quality-oriented.
Title Wave Books in Anchorage, Alaska.
Birdsong Used Books, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
There are plenty more bookstores of course. Birdsong will find you those hard-to-find out of print editions, or check their stock for that one Stanislaw Lem paperback that was never returned by your friend.
Support your local economy, support intelligence in book selling.
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