About this item
Highlights
- If books didn't matter, nobody would try to ban them.In a nation struggling to cope with polarization, disinformation, acrimony, the power of books-to inform, enlighten, and inspire-is more important than ever.
- Author(s): Karl Weber
- 252 Pages
- Language + Art + Disciplines, Publishing
Description
About the Book
"If books didn't matter, nobody would try to ban them. In a nation struggling to cope with polarization, disinformation, acrimony, the power of books -- to inform, enlighten, and inspire -- is more important than ever. To honor Joyce Meskis, the legendary bookseller who founded Denver's Tattered Cover and became a champion of First Amendment freedoms, a team including some of today's leading publishers, booksellers, authors, and free speech activists offers reflections on the vital role of books in our nation's cultural, civic, social, and economic life"--Book Synopsis
If books didn't matter, nobody would try to ban them.
In a nation struggling to cope with polarization, disinformation, acrimony, the power of books-to inform, enlighten, and inspire-is more important than ever. To honor Joyce Meskis, the legendary bookseller who founded Denver's Tattered Cover and became a champion of First Amendment freedoms, a team including some of today's leading publishers, booksellers, authors, and free speech activists offers reflections on the vital role of books in our nation's cultural, civic, social, and economic life.
Why Books Still Matter includes:
U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper on bookselling as a mission-driven form of entrepreneurship-a way of nurturing communities and enriching culture while helping city economies flourish
Freedom of speech activist Chris Finan on a century of battles against censorship and the crucial role of books and booksellers in defending liberty
Book marketing guru Carl Lennertz on how a generation of innovative booksellers transformed the magical process by which authors and readers discover one another
Bookseller Clara Villarosa on creating one of the nation's greatest Black-owned bookstores-and why representation on the printed page is so important for Americans of every background
Librarians Nick Higgins and Amy Mikel on why they decided to make banned books available to young people from communities across the U.S.-and how they did it
Civil liberties attorney Steve Zansberg on a new way to think about the right to free expression and its vital role in a democratic society
Bookseller Carole Horne on how independent bookstores from Cambridge to Austin to Salt Lake City pioneered the "buy local" movement, glorifying what makes every city and town unique
. . . and other noteworthy figures from the worlds of publishing and bookselling providing unique insights into the glorious past, the embattled present, and the essential future of books. All proceeds will be donated to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom.
Review Quotes
"It's hard to imagine a more powerful tribute to [Joyce Meskis's] life. Readers who want to honor Joyce Meskis, or who simply are passionate themselves about books and reading, will luxuriate in this essay collection."-Publishers Weekly BookLife
"Consistently engaging and approachable. Those inside the book business will find here a valuable analysis of their trade, while those on the outside are given an accessible introduction to the industry. An impressive, fitting tribute to an iconoclastic bookseller."-Kirkus Reviews
"Why Books Still Matter is a paean to bookstores and their readers, written by wise industry leaders who are brilliant business people, know that words and ideas are powerful and community dialogue can change the world, and have courageously supported freedom of expression in their own cities. It will deepen any book lover's devotion to the power of words and books."-Gayle Shanks, Founder & Co-Owner, Changing Hands Bookstores
"Believing that booksellers were bound to their own version of the Hippocratic oath-as fierce protectors of the First Amendment-Joyce Meskis was a superhero for the reading community. Her legacy blazes on in all of us who are determined to read widely and freely-and in the pages of this remarkable book."-Gayatri Patnaik, Director of Beacon Press
"At a time when books, authors, and publishing are under attack, it is critically important that we remember and defend their importance. This expertly curated collection reminds us that books can connect us, inspire us, and challenge us like no other medium. The rights to write, publish, and read are fundamental to the functioning of our democracy."-Robert B. Barnett, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C.
"Joyce Meskis ran Tattered Cover in the time of Peak Bookstores. Why Books Still Matter enables us to understand and celebrate those times, as well as the enduring power of books, with a tribute from an all-star team of book industry participants and observers."-Mike Shatzkin, author of The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know
"Why Books Still Matter is a joyous celebration of Joyce Meskis, an icon of independent bookselling, by other luminaries of the book trade. It is a wonderful tribute to one woman and a reminder that principled, stubborn, customer-focused book lovers are the bedrock of a civilized publishing business and a democratic society."-Clive Priddle, Publisher, PublicAffairs
"Joyce Meskis helped make the Rocky Mountain West an area where authors could thrive and booklovers could find a home away from home. She lifted up an entire region, culturally. Read this book to learn how she established one of the country's finest independent bookstores. We all benefited enormously from her extraordinary career as a preeminent bookseller and defender of First Amendment rights."-Helen Thorpe, author of The Newcomers