MFA Student Kevin McEvoy on His Favorite Bookstore
There are many places I like to visit when I’m travelling, but there is only one I can easily get lost inside and not care, while spending hours that pass like minutes, and then resent closing time: a bookstore. The bigger and older, the better, and no bookstore I know of is bigger or older than the Strand Bookstore in New York City. Founded in 1927 and relocated in 1957 to 828 Broadway on the corner of east 12th Street, it stands proudly in the East Village of Manhattan (need I say more?), a short walk from NYU. While the Strand now has several locations, nothing beats the original store, which by 1996 was the largest used bookstore in the world. If that’s not enough, the Strand's building was named a New York City landmark in 2019 by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission due to its architectural and cultural significance. All of that’s more than enough for me.
So, how many books does the Strand offer? Walking the entire store past all the rows, shelves, tables, kiosks, racks and displays will take you 23 miles, so bring your lunch. You will pass used (and now new) books of every possible description for every taste, interest, and passion. I’m a book lover and collector and have accumulated a number of signed editions by authors such as Issac Asimov, Dave Barry, Silva Brown, Charmain Carr, Carley Fiorina, Anne Francis, Dick Francis, Thomas Freidman, Alex Haley, Debbie Harry, John Jakes, Robert Ludlum, James Martin, Frank McCourt, David McCullough, Ogden Nash, Daniel Silva, Gail Sheehy, Dava Sovel, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Mort Walker, Grace Lee Whitney, and more.
Plus, a number of unsigned (breaks my heart) first editions such as Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago (American edition), and others. Holding one of these books feels like I’m with the author in person and that they wrote their book just for me. Flipping through the pages feels like living history.
By now you might have guessed that my favorite section is the rare and collectibles collection up on the third floor. As of this writing on September 10, 2025, you’ll find a signed copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses, and if you have any extra money lying around, you can walk out with it for about $38,000. (If you do buy it, would you be kind enough to explain the ending to me?) The rare and collectibles section feels like a museum that lets you take part of an exhibit home with you.
Yes, there are those who prefer to shop online. I do too, but no online retailer regardless of how large can compete with the experience of browsing in person amid the scent of the wooden shelves, old paper pages, and leather-bound covers. I’ve tried to smell that scent through my computer screen, but people just look at me strangely, smile gently, and ask if I need help. It doesn’t matter; convenience can’t compete with experience.
Perhaps you can’t easily get to New York City, but you can find a good used bookstore almost anywhere. Even many public libraries sell donated books. Check them out. And if you find a really good one don’t forget to bring your lunch.