AUTHOR IN CHIEF, by Craig Fehrman

Author In Chief, by Craig Fehrman

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Regular readers know about my journey to visit and document independent bookstores across the country.  This entry is not about a bookstore, but a soon to be released (Feb 11, 2020) book about presidents, their books, presidential history, and some mention of historical bookstores.  Craig Fehrman discovered my blog and kindly asked if I would read his advance reader's copy and interview him about his new book.  For all you booksellers, I encourage to read the interview and prepare to hand-sell this great book when it's released.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can strongly recommend it.  Read on.

This is a nineteenth-century engraving of an independent bookstore in Baltimore.  This picture looks like many I've taken on my tour, the view from the front entrance looking into the store perhaps.  

The Indie Bob Spot:  Thank you for the advance opportunity to read this book and dialogue a bit with you about it.  I cannot even fathom the overwhelming amount of research you did for this book.  But before you read a single sentence of research, what was the spark that ignited your interest in this subject of presidents, their books, and many things related to books?

Craig Fehrman:  Believe it or not, this all started back in 2008. Like a lot of people, I was following the election obsessively, and I noticed that Barack Obama's books were really good and really resonating with voters. Not a very original observation! Still, I found myself wondering if there was a history here, a history of other books making this kind of impact. By 2009 I was digging into that history, and I discovered a story that was far richer than I expected -- rich not just in new insights into our presidents but in new details about old bookstores, steam-powered printing presses, and the lives of regular readers.

A young John Kennedy already writing.  

TIBS:  Some of the presidents you chose to feature were obvious candidates.  The Founding Fathers, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, JFK, and Obama.  Yet many presidents were omitted (Tyler, Polk, Fillmore, Arthur, Cleveland, e.g., just to name a few).  Not as prolific writers or you simply had to limit your material?

CF:  I felt like I had a real story to tell here -- the evolution from the first campaign book (Jefferson) and the first presidential memoir (Adams) to our current moment of political publishing. So many presidential books were big and important titles in their own times. One way to see this is that lots of presidents read other presidents. (Adams, for instance, carefully perused Jefferson's book.) C

Anyway, I wanted to keep my book fun and focused in order to tell that story. That was the most important thing to me. I spent several days in Kansas, for example, doing research at the Eisenhower library. I found some fascinating material, but it overlapped with the Truman chapter, and I wanted to keep the narrative moving. In the final book there's only a half a page on Eisenhower, but I hope that made Author in Chief a better book.

TIBS:  What would be some suggestions you could give booksellers in promoting your books to their readers?

CF:  I believe booksellers are the real experts here -- they know their customers better than I do. That's why it was so amazing to see Author in Chief on the February Indie Next list. I love the blurb from the list, from a wonderful San Francisco bookseller named Katerina. She said my book offers "a perfect combination of history, politics, and bibliophilia," and I hope she's right! Author in Chief is a book for history buffs, but it's also a book for any serious reader. The stuff on reading practices and old bookstores can show those serious readers the history of themselves. 

TIBS:  Do you have another book project in mind and/or are you working on something now?

CF:  I spent ten years on this one, so I better be really, really sure before I try another one! Right now I am spending a lot of time watching my kids, who are three and one, and getting ready for the book tour. Maybe a new idea will come to me on the road -- there's no better place to get inspired than at an independent bookstore!

TIBS:  I absolutely loved your mentions of some of our country’s earliest independent bookstores.  In many ways, they sounded much like what we see today.  Did your research reveal any additional info about early bookstores and/or can you tell us more about the ones you did mention?

CF:  I'm so glad you felt there were similarities. One of my favorite things about books, and book people, is that they haven't changed all that much. Abraham Lincoln's belief in the power of print -- to preserve ideas, to inspire critical thinking -- sounds a lot like what passionate readers would say today. (And Lincoln's belief is what inspired him to write a bestselling book of his own.)

Even at early bookstores, they sold sidelines.  

In terms of actual stores, I feature more than a dozen in my book. One favorite is the London Bookstore in Boston, which John Adams often shopped at. While there are no surviving images of the London Bookstore, here's one of a similar store that was also open in Boston in the eighteenth century: (see photo on right)

Stores like this didn't just sell books -- they sold quill pens and ink and even bottles of British beer to supplement their book sales. That reminds me a lot of indie bookstores today, which curate beautiful stationery or hand-made cards. A good bookstore teems with all kinds of culture, and bookstores also respond to that culture. The owner of the London Bookstore got run out of Boston during the buildup to the Revolutionary War!

TIBS:  You curiously did not include much about the current president.  Was the research you wanted just not there?  A limited body of work?

CF:  I think it's clear that Trump is not as literary as, say, Obama. (Honestly, very few presidents are as literary as Obama -- John Quincy Adams is the only real parallel in terms of bookish ambition.) But the biggest reason I didn't do, say, a Trump chapter was the desire to tell a real story I mentioned above. Trump does show up for a couple pages when I'm talking about blockbuster publishing -- the system that emerged in the 1980s and prioritized celebrity hardcover books, books that would show up not just in independent bookstores but in national chains and even at grocery stores and other retailers. The Art of the Deal is a perfect example of this system -- Trump did multiple book signings at Waldenbooks -- and I interviewed the book's editor to get the behind-the-scenes story about it.

Crazy detail: this editor, Peter Osnos, didn't just publish Trump's book -- he published Obama's Dreams from my Father too!

TIBS:  Thank you so much for the opportunity to read AUTHOR IN CHIEF.  Good luck on your bookstore tour and good luck on the release.  

CF:  Thanks for these thoughtful questions, and for a chance to talk to your audience. (I found out about your site from another smart bookseller in Cincinnati.) 

I am as much a book person as I am a history person, and I hope my book reflects this. If someone loves independent bookstores or reading in general, I think they will really enjoy Author in Chief!

Heartland Fall Forum - Cleveland, OH

Heartland Fall Forum, Cleveland, OH

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When I began this journey and this blog it was with the intent of featuring strictly independent bookstores.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've strayed from that.  This entry will be one of those times for a couple of reasons.  1) Booksellers, owners, and managers need to hear about the Heartland Forum Event I attended and, 2) They also need to know about BINC, The Book Industry Charitable Foundation that can assist those same people in times of crisis.  If you work in a bookstore and have never attended your regional trade show, move it to the top of your "to-do" list.  I would strongly recommend this for your professional and personal growth in the business.  Once you attend, you'll never want to miss it again.  It will knock your bookstore socks off!

The Heartland Fall Forum is the annual regional trade show for the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association (GLIBA) and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA).  This reminds me of teacher conferences I've attended that are so important for professional development, networking, re-charging your battery, renewing friendships that are so good for morale boosting, sales strategies, new products, and a host of other benefits.  I discovered long ago that teachers and booksellers have much in common.  For me to be afforded the opportunity to be a part of this conference/trade show was indescribable.  I renewed friendships with so many fantastic bookstore people I've met on my journey and met new ones who I want to visit in their store.  I especially enjoyed one of the professional development sessions I attended, "Dealing With Difficult Customers."  I wanted to find out if it was anything like dealing with difficult students!

And then there was the grand ballroom of exhibits, the trade show.  New books, publishers small and large, authors, and bookstore people everywhere.  Kit S., the BINC programs manager told me I would be in heaven and she was right.  For someone like me, a bookstore customer, this was one of the pinnacles of my journey.

I never could've done this if it weren't for Kit and all the terrific people at BINC.  Just like the bookstore people they serve, they were all equally nice.  If there is a larger gathering of darn nice people anywhere I'd like to know where it is.  Kathy B. development director, reeled me in at the awards ceremony along with Kate and they kindly took me under their wings for the festival.  These ladies along with Jenny, Lorie, Pam, and others made my experience as grand as my bookstore visits.  My only disappointment was they didn't tell me to wipe the drool off my chin from being surrounded by all the books and all the great people!

If you're in a bookstore and don't know about BINC, find out about it for yourself and others at your store.  They can provide emergency assistance for yourself and /or your store if you're in desperate straits.  Health emergency costs, natural disasters, living expenses, scholarship opportunities (they helped fund the Heartland Fall Forum experience for some of the booksellers) and MUCH more.  They are a valuable resource you can call on anytime when you are in need.  And the people who will help you are top notch.  Heck, they helped me enjoy a great bookstore experience just by getting me into this event.  Check this event out next time, booksellers.  You will not be disappointed.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING:  The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt.

One of the entrances to the historic Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland, the location for the three day event.  The event site rotates each year so if this distance was too far, make sure you find out where next year's is held.  

There are easel display boards everywhere and there is also a program of events available with your registration.  

The HFF is fortunate to have a great group of sponsors.  

Lots of rooms like this one that host the many educational and informational sessions.  

The grand ballroom, the day before the vendors and exhibits set-up.  Consider this a "before" picture.  

Same room and view as above but filled with lots of new ideas, new books, wonderful people, and much positive energy.  

Just a portion of the Macmillan Publishers display area, a day before the event.  Those boxes will be unpacked, set-up, and offer lots of new books to browse, most of them yet to be released.  

Overview of the Gold Ballroom where the events ceremony was held.  Awards are presented to authors, organizations, and booksellers to name a few.  

Some of the BINC brain trust accepting the award.  Pam, the executive director is speaking.  Behind her from L-R:  Kate, Kathy, Sarah, and Lorie, the foundation president.  

Congratulations to BINC on their award for all their great work with bookstores and their people.  An incredible honor for me to be there.  

I ran into people like this everywhere.  Judith K. from Scout & Morgan Books in Cambridge, MN.  

Booksellers, you may not think you have a safety net, but you do.  

If so, BINC can help.  

Display of new games available for independent bookstores.  

One of the new games, this one looks good.  

Another new game.  There is a session at the event where you can sit down with other booksellers and play the new games, a great way to try them out.  

This is an overview from the balcony of the trade show floor in the grand ballroom.  

An apt statement.  

Cannot thank these ladies and the entire BINC team enough for the invitation to experience this wonderful event.  With Kate in the middle and Kathy on the right, two of the fine folks you'll meet when you get to know BINC.
Thanks for a great visit.

Footnotes About The Journey & Ron Rice

Ron Rice takes a look at one of my travel journals of all the other bookstores I've visited along my journey.   The journal he's looking at documents the visits to stores not in MY BOOKSTORE.  

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I thought I would add a few more thoughts about my journey that some of the regular readers of The Indie Bob Spot might enjoy.  To be clear, I've completed the journey of the hardback edition of MY BOOKSTORE, which came out in 2012.  I didn't discover this book though until about 2013 or 2014.  There has been a recent release of MY BOOKSTORE in paperback this past spring of 2017.  The paperback edition includes a handful of newly featured independent bookstores, some of which I have already visited and some of which I haven't (but will, hopefully!).  As I have mentioned previously, the hardback version includes 81 bookstores, however, three have been closed and I was unable to visit them.  The three that have closed are:  The Capitola Book Cafe, Capitola, CA;  Chester County Book & Music Co, West Chester, PA; Next Chapter Bookstore, Mequon, WI.  As sad as this is, I have taken GREAT hope from the many new bookstores I've discovered all across the country and I think some of the dire predictions for independent bookstores are not only premature but are, on the whole, totally unfounded.  I've done the field work that the prognosticators and pundits have not.  

Ron Rice on the left, his journey was 30+ years to put this book together.  

This journey began for me about 3 1/2 years ago, in 2014.  And although it has only taken me a relatively short time to do this, the gentleman who brought this publication to print devoted 30+ years of his life to cultivating the final product that became, MY BOOKSTORE.  I've communicated with Ron Rice off and on for these past 3 1/2 years and on my recent trip to the east coast I finally had the pleasure of meeting him in person.  I don't know who was more enthusiastic about this, him or me!  Obviously, even though we have talked it was great to finally meet him and he filled in some of the blanks for me about the book as well as the recent paperback edition.  The biggest thing I took from him was the fact that it did take him those 30+ years to establish relationships with these bookstores, their owners, and their booksellers.  To me, that's the true journey and a big part of the story about the book.  And Ron's journey and work also includes countless other bookstores and their owners who aren't featured in the book.  As he once told me, for every bookstore that made the book he could've featured 5 more.  

So what now?  I finished one chapter so now I continue with another, ongoing chapter.  There is no timeline, there is no set destination.  So my journey continues to other deserving independent bookstores and the wonderful people who work there.  I would also like to revisit many where I've met some of the nicest people anywhere, they are all so enjoyable to visit with.   If any want to follow what I do, great.  If not, it doesn't matter.  The fun I have seeing bookstores and meeting the people who work there is priceless.  Thanks for following and now, let's get on to the next bookstore.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.         

   

I finally met him!

This looks like a team that just won a championship!  Well, in a way, it is.  Alert readers may notice the celebrity seated in front.  Yes, that's my mom.  Standing in back L-R, John M. from Mainpoint Books, yours truly, Ron Rice, Ron's son Jake, and Max M. from Mainpoint Books.  

Paul Ingraham, Bookseller Extraordinaire

Paul Ingraham, Bookseller Extraordinaire from Prairie Lights.  

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Regular readers of The Indie Bob Spot know that this blog is dedicated to the support and recognition of the many fine independent bookstores across this country.  Rarely have I ever written about anything else.  But I am compelled to share with you in this entry a few words about Paul Ingraham, a long-time bookseller and book buyer for Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City, IA

Paul speaks at his retirement open house.
Audience members always react to his humor.  

I continue to stress the importance of bookstores in the fabric of our country's culture.  I also know that I'm preaching to the choir since many of you understand this.  But I also want to remind you (and myself) that these bookstores, from the very smallest to the giants would be nothing without the tireless and passionate efforts of booksellers across the country.  Paul is one of those booksellers who is now retiring after many years of service at Prairie Lights.  Of course, he brings that bookselling passion to the table that so many others also have.  But its more than just that.  I'm convinced that if he could give weekly 15 minute talks like the one at his retirement reception, his legion of followers would become throngs (it might be worth joining his bookclub for this!).  Where else could one hear about Canadian authors who write about Jewish Cowboys in Canada and the such!

But above all, you'll find a person in possession of a sharp wit, creative, demonstrative, and an interesting (this is understated) and fascinating person.  And despite all these talents, he remains a humble person who can converse with some of the country's most renowned authors or a common bookstore customer who likes to visit and blog about bookstores.  How lucky they are at Prairie Lights, to have you as one of their leaders in a community of readers.  Congratulations on your retirement but we'll all still enjoy bumping into you at Prairie Lights.  Go to an indie and thank a bookseller.  Bonsoir.  

If you ever get a chance to meet Paul, do it.  All you have to do is ask him about some of his favorite books and he'll take it from there!

The next time you visit Prairie Lights, go upstairs to see all of Paul's bookclub recommendations over the years.  These are just a few of those.  I can guarantee that you will find a fantastic book among these choices.  

Jan W., one of the co-owners at Prairie Lights with Paul.  

Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers - New York, NY

Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers - New York, NY

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Before you read any further, understand that this is NOT a post about an independent bookstore.  Black Dog & Leventhal is a publisher located in lower Manhattan of NYC on the 12th floor of the Dezer Building.  Even though it is not a bookstore, they are partially responsible for my journey because they published My Bookstore, by Ron Rice.  Because of this, I felt compelled to pay them a visit just like a bookstore and have them sign my copy of My Bookstore.

Not sure I would've got my foot in the door without Ron Rice's help so am grateful to him for that.  I had the good fortune of meeting Becky K. who was very involved with the publication of My Bookstore.  This place has one thing in common with my many bookstore visits.  The kindness, courtesy, and enthusiasm of Becky was no different than those same qualities extended to me by the many bookstore owners and staffers I've visited.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.  Traveling the country and seeing so many sights, all the bookstores, and the many wonderful people I've met.  This visit was one more step in the journey.  And now I've met the person and publishing company that helped launch my journey and my project.  Definitely blessed.  Thanks Becky.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING:  The Daughters Of Mars, Thomas Keneally.  So far so good.

Just off the elevator and looking into the offices of Black Dog & Leventhal.  

Hey, it's just like a bookstore with great places to sit.  

Here's my guidebook, poster sized.  I was so excited to be here I must've been shaking when I took the picture!

Office area and work space.  

Hey, they have books here too.

With Becky K. who was instrumental working behind the scenes on My Bookstore, the launching pad to my journey.  Thanks for a great visit, Becky.  

Independent Bookstores!

The initial purpose of this blog is to share observations about independent bookstores and support them as they battle against the ever-increasing use of e-readers and online sites like Amazon.  It will however evolve also as a site for me to share some of the books I'm reading and offer informal book reports.  Yes, I'm pretending I'm back in middle school and offering book reports!  Expect things to refine as I go since this blogging thing is very new to me.

My primary goal is to visit every independent bookstore listed in the book, My Bookstore, edited by Ronald Rice, which is a great resource of indie bookstores.  There are 81 indies in this book and I've been to 11.  I have a ways to go.  There are many great indies across the country not listed in this book so I'm sure this space will evolve to include them as well.   The essays about these 81 indies are written by prominent authors who have a relationship to these stores.

This project and journey I'm on has no timeline, there is no deadline.  The journey will not be measured in weeks or months but possibly years.  I'm not a professional writer nor was I an English major in college.  I'm an amateur and I'm doing this for the fun of it and because I enjoy it.  I'll be doing this whether one is watching and following or whether many are watching and following.  If you decide to follow along I hope you enjoy it.

Questions about indies, books, or authors?  Suggestions about indies to visit?  Hit me up!  Follow me as I travel America in support of independent bookstores and their owners, one bookstore at a time, one book at a time.

Follow the evolution of this site if you're a book lover or an independent bookstore lover.  But you'll need to be patient!  Be gentle!  And be kind!  Bonsoir!

The journey has begun!  Where will I be next?  Coming to an independent bookstore near you soon!