In this guide, Lesley Rains <\/strong>takes<\/em> us on a tour of the best independent bookshops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/em>, USA<\/strong>. If you know a city with great spots for book lovers, you can find information about how to contribute to our global bookshop guide series<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0end of this article<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Pittsburgh is home to a thriving arts community, anchored by independent bookstores, literary events organisations, a robust public library system, and book publishers. Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures<\/a>, the International Poetry Forum<\/a>, and City of Asylum<\/a> regularly bring nationally and internationally renowned authors and speakers to town. The many branches of the Carnegie Library<\/a> system ensure that residents of every neighbourhood have access to quality literature, while publishers such as the University of Pittsburgh Press<\/a> (where I work), Carnegie Mellon University Press<\/a>, and Autumn House Press<\/a> regularly publish nationally- and internationally-recognised books.<\/p>\n Central to that vibrant culture are the region\u2019s numerous independent bookstores. More than just sell books, they all regularly host community events such as author readings and book clubs, becoming spaces that bring literature lovers together. Let\u2019s take a quick tour of a few of those bookstores that have distinctive identities.<\/p>\n Our tour begins in the eastern neighbourhood of Regent Square. On Braddock Avenue, in the heart of the main business district, you\u2019ll find Stay Gold Books<\/a>, whose colourful exterior leads to a cosy interior filled with new books and charming gifts. Founded and run by Carrie and Corey Wittig, Stay Gold exudes such a strong sense of community that walking into the store feels like being welcomed into the owners\u2019 home. The store features buzzy new releases, compelling nonfiction, quirky arts books, and everything in between. Their busy events calendar offers a range of readings and book clubs, including the city\u2019s only cookbook club and potluck.<\/p>\n Just a few blocks away, in Wilkinsburg, Fungus Books<\/a> is nestled among a small row of businesses. Like its namesake organism, you could walk right past the store if you weren\u2019t looking for it. But that would be a mistake. In its short existence, Fungus has quickly become the go-to place locally to seek out used and rare printed matter in their fields of art, botany, drugs, poetry, science fiction, to name just a few. They also claim to have \u201cthe largest in-person selection of rare and sought-after sleaze [vintage erotica and pulp fiction]\u00a0 on the East Coast.\u201d Fungus is located across the street from a French bakery, making it the only store in the city where you can buy some sleaze, and then walk across the street and buy a croissant. The perfect Saturday morning, if you ask me.<\/p>\n Venturing across Frick Park and into Point Breeze, you\u2019ll find Bottom Feeder Books<\/a>. Located on a quiet street, Bottom Feeder offers a discerning selection of used and rare books focused on art, literature, poetry, books about books, and film, often with a modernist or avant garde bent. The collection is edgy, yet approachable, with rare editions of literary classics alongside contemporary global art tomes. Notably, the entire store is organised by the author\u2019s last name, instead of by genre. But instead of feeling chaotic, it was refreshing to see work of fiction next to a philosophy text next to a poetry collection, as if they were in quiet conversation with each other. It added to a fun sense of discovery. Bottom Feeder exudes a calm intellect; it is the bookstore equivalent of taking a deep sigh of relief.<\/p>\n Leaving Point Breeze, we head to the neighbourhood of Bloomfield, home of Whit<\/a>e<\/a> Whale Books and Coffee<\/a>. Their white brick building looms over the neighbourhood like a literal white whale, but once inside you won\u2019t need to hunt like Ahab for a good read. You are greeted immediately by exciting new releases in fiction and nonfiction, a colourful children\u2019s section, and a staggering collection of genre fiction. Additionally, don\u2019t miss the floor-to-ceiling shelves highlighting regional history. Their packed events calendar regularly hosts readings by both nationally known authors and local favourites. They also recently added a bar, so the hungry booklover can grab a latte, cocktail or mocktail while they browse. A feeling of friendliness emanates from everything White Whale does, underscoring their motto, \u201cConversation. Community. Culture.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, we\u2019ll cross the Allegheny River to head to the North Side and City of Asylum Bookstore<\/a>. Full disclosure: I managed CoAB from 2016-2022. The store is the project of City of Asylum, a nonprofit dedicated to providing residencies to exiled writers and artists from around the world. Reflecting City of Asylum\u2019s commitment to freedom of creative expression, the bookstore maintains a broad focus on translated and international literature in all genres. You may not find all the recent NY Times<\/em> bestsellers, but you will find Japanese fiction, Middle Eastern cookbooks, and Latin American children\u2019s books. The store is unwavering in its commitment to bringing international literature to the Pittsburgh community. What\u2019s more, the bookstore shares space with City of Asylum\u2019s performance venue, which often means you\u2019ll be able to browse while listening to a jazz concert. It\u2019s a special place.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh has a lively bookstore community, and I hope you enjoy your visit to these wonderful spaces.<\/p>\n Main image:<\/strong> Zhen Yao<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Do you know a place with great bookshops?<\/strong>\u00a0As part of a regular feature on LSE Review of Books, we\u2019re asking academics and students to recommend their favourite bookshops in a particular city or town to share with our book-loving community of readers the world over.<\/em><\/p>\n Bookshops could be academic, alternative, multilingual, hobby-based, secret or underground institutions, second-hand outlets or connected to a university. We\u2019d like to cover all world regions too and are particularl<\/em>y keen to feature cities outside of Europe and North America.<\/em><\/p>\n If something comes to mind, we\u2019re looking for a brief introduction about the city, a selection of three or four bookshops with around 150 words per bookshop, detailing why each one is a must-see. Our editorial team can then find suitable photos and links to accompany the piece, though you\u2019re welcome to supply these too.<\/em><\/p>\n Email us if you\u2019d like to contribute:\u00a0<\/em>lsereviewofbooks@lse.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n
\nStay Gold Books<\/h2>\n
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Fungus Books<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Bottom Feeder Books<\/h2>\n
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White Whale Books and Coffee<\/h2>\n
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City of Asylum Bookstore<\/h2>\n
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