Browsers

Bill Pierce

Bill Pierce

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In writing about Arthur Grace’s latest book, Communism(s): A Cold War Album, I suddenly realized that a lot of folks have no bookstore where they can go to actually look at books of photographs, to browse, to look at the work of photographers that they do not know, to judge the images and reproduction and see if there are books they want to take home (because photo books are very expensive).

Amazon has a chain of retail bookstores in addition to their online sales. The one near us is now closed. I am told there are 24 still open, but all will be closed at various dates in the future. That’s not so good for browsers.

Artbook is another online outlet that also has some physical stores. One is at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Others are in Minneapolis and Los Angeles. That’s a little better for browsers.

I’m lucky. One of the most well thought of bookstores dealing with the visual arts, Arcana, is in Culver City, CA, not far from where I live. To see if there’s a good store near you check out

https://www.photostartsheet.com/100_top_bookstores_for_photography.html

Another good source is

https://www.biblio.com/bookstores/photography/92
(Some stores are online only, but the listing identifies those with a physical shop.)

I hope the lists are useful to book browsers. Pass on any stores you can recommend (or any thoughts about browsing those big, expensive photo books).
 
farlymac said:
Barnes and Noble stores sell photo books, though their locations are mostly in malls. Online Bookstore: Books, NOOK ebooks, Music, Movies & Toys | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
I also like to browse the secondhand shops when I find one.

PF
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They usually have a crappy selection of photo books. I miss Borders; they always had a much nicer art and photography book section. Barnes & Noble is the only store selling new books in my city. They have two locations. There are a couple of good used book stores, too; but it sucks that we have no real options for new books locally anymore.
 
There is a Barnes & Noble near me but I haven't set foot in the place in years. I gave up after having to deal with people standing close by me talking on their cell phones about things I don't want to hear about. Sorry, your medical conditions, financial problems and worthless family members don't mean anything to me. The rudeness of the general public ruined my afternoon book browsing ritual just like Best Buy ruined my CD browsing ritual when CDs were A Thing.

I used to go into Photoeye in Santa Fe, NM, when I was in town but it was often a trauma to my credit cards. I just browse their website these days along with Amazon. I also try to keep up with current photo books by looking at various online review sites, particularly www.photobookjournal.com. If I see something there that interests me, I can almost always find it at photo eye or I might be able to find it for less at Amazon. Otherwise I can order from the publisher. However, I try to control myself. Photo books are becoming very expensive these days and my library is pretty much out of control.
 
The bookshop at the Eastman Museum has a good selection.;)

In New Hampshire, I’m familiar with two pretty decent indie bookshops, Toadstool Books, and Gibson’s. Not a huge selection in either one, but plenty to keep a book appetite wetted. Vermont Center for Photography has put together a large and growing library of photo-related books. Some are for sale, but mostly they are available for borrowing by members, and browsing in the gallery for anyone.

The shrink wrap is a Catch-22 for the bookseller. People don’t like to pay full price for shop-worn books, and the aren’t returnable to the publisher after they are damaged by mishandling. But it’s hard to commit to buying a $70 book just looking at the cover. Some shops will open them up if you ask.
 
For quaint browsing in scenic Massachusetts, there's the The Montague Bookmill: https://maq.ujw.mybluehost.me/
The Montague Bookmill is a used bookstore housed in an 1842 gristmill, set on the banks of the Sawmill River, a few miles north of Amherst and Northampton, Massachusetts. Our collection leans toward the academic, but we have thousands of books, on just about everything from Austen and anarchy to Zola and zoology. Our books are generally half-price, including recent publisher’s overstocks.
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It is situated in an artist-rich area of Massachusetts. Some nice pictures and reviews of the book-mill here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...achusetts.html

Sometimes, you may get lucky and find some nice photo books at antique-co-op/collectables/flea-market shops. Tons of those around here.

I find public and college libraries seem to have a decent selection. (I'm fortunate to be in Massachusetts where colleges abound). I was surprised to find an early edition of The Decisive Moment in circulation at my local library (the pic of my IIIf in my avatar on that copy).
 
A little over thirty miles from the farm is the town of 100 Mile House. It's on the Gold Rush Trail in the BC interior. Great little bookstore there that occasionally will have 2nd-hand photobooks. Nuthatch Books.
 
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