The New York Public Library Shop
Whether you live in New York or have only visited once or twice, I am certain that you have either spent a long afternoon (at least) examining or simply passed by the more than glorious main branch of the New York Public Library. Personally, I have spent countless hours in the Dewitt Wallace Periodical Room, and I miss it terribly at the moment.
Once you have been greeted by Patience and Fortitude (the two majestic lions that guard the library), make a quick right after Astor Hall, and you will stumble upon the NYPL shop. Full of New York souvenirs, fun totes, teeshirts and all the trinkets, their book selection is almost as grand as the library it sits in.
Helene, who runs the store, is one of the world’s great booksellers of New York books and she also used to run an imprint of NY specific books.
If you still have some time after visiting the shop, go down to the Children's Center afterwards to say hello to the original teddy bear that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.
The wonderful NYPL shop staff put a reading list together to keep you busy while the libraries are closed:
N. K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season (recommended by Annie)
This is science fantasy at its finest. Jemisin is a master world-builder and storyteller, creating characters you will love and telling a compelling story that celebrates diversity by making it commonplace. This tale of cataclysmic climate change and power through oppression could not be more timely.
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 (recommended by Victoria)
Dystopian, fierce writing, about the control of knowledge and the cost of that, as well as transgression.
E. B. White, Charlotte’s Web (recommended by Joan)
My favorite childhood book was Charlotte's Web. I can still picture the drawing of Fern holding Wilbur as a baby and giving him a baby bottle. The happy, content look on his face says it all. Enchanting!
For nearly 100 years Christopher Robin and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted readers of all ages. The real Winnie, along with Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger, are displayed at NYPL's Schwarzman Building, where everyone is welcome to visit them. This March Pooh won NYPL's #LiteraryMarchMadness handily, though he remains humble as ever, sure that if he won it's because of his dear friends.
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (recommended by Kimberly)
Like most New Yorkers I have recently seen the Broadway play To Kill A Mockingbird, but had not read the book since high school; it was time to reread it. Harper Lee was a master of pitting good versus evil; now that I am older, the gray areas portrayed were most riveting.
E.B. White's stroll around Manhattan remains the quintessential love letter to the city. The New York Times has named Here is New York one of the ten best books ever written about New York City
Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers by NYPL
NYPL staff has dug through the archives to find thoughtful and often witty answers to over one hundred of the oddest, funniest, and most whimsical questions the library has received since it began record-keeping over seventy-five years ago.
Bonus:
A Booklover's Guide to New York
Our customers love this unique and comprehensive guide to all the literary treasures New York has to offer. Whether you're looking to discover a marvelous bookstore or explore the legendary haunts of renowned authors and beloved characters, this book is a must-have for any lover of literature.
The New York Public Library Shop, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, NY NY 10018
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