Book Stores of New York : The Strand plus Vlog!

From the moment I found out The Strand existed I knew i had to go there.  I once read somewhere that everyone has different reasons for which they travel, different fascinations that grip them and with which they connect.  My fascination with the human psyche is tied up snug with my love for literature. Literature is my history book of choice. I deeply believe that if you want to understand the culture of a people you can find it in the bindings of their uncensored opinions and that literature is a safe and faceless vehicle through which that is made possible.

I'm not a foodie so i don't connect with a culture through food. I come alive at museums and books stores and libraries. We don't have many of those where I am from so when I travel I feel like my soul is on fire to get to them, as many of them as I can to savour them and know them and climb into their warmth and be glad they exist in this world.

I went to The Strand Bookstore perhaps tree times in my last visit to the city of New York. It blew my mind every time.

I seem to have a fascination with taking pictures of my favourite books at wonderful books tores that honestly I don't understand myself. As if, by those books simply being there the book store has won more of my favour, racking up cool points and proving itself worthy indeed. The books are Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi and the just comics with Storm, my forever favourite X-men character.

Here I am making one of my, apparently famous, apauled faces at my friend Emmie

  Here I am being a nerd with relatively new and extremely kind riend Jermaine

 Here I am being shamelessly nerdy with Emmie,

 Mine is a Falcon, hers is a horse if you were wondering. NO SHAME RAVENCLAW POTTER HEAD GIRLS

Looking at these pictures you'd never know how scared I was to head out on my own to find this place. The anxiety attack I had to beat before I got out the door...the prays I said. How I had to pick my fear up of the floor with both hands, stuff 'em in my back pocket and go anyway. Going to places like this reminds me that I am a real person, that I am alive and not just a character in a book. Is that strange? Maybe...Probably. Oh well.

I want to see all of New Yorks great book stores someday, I have a list and all! The Strand was first on my list. So far I have seen three from the five on my list.

Soon I will see more of them. I will come to know more of them. Then I will know the ones in Paris, in London and Italy. I will know them and they will know me and they will know books authored by me.

God, I love literature.

Check out the vlog!