A Biographer's Blog

As many book lovers, especially those who live in the western United States, know, the Tattered Cover is an incredible independent book store in Denver–or now 3 stores, actually.  I have gone there my entire life. I remember sitting on the floor reading Gnomes in its first tiny location in Cherry Creek, after taking ballet at the Red Shoes up the street.  And my shelves groan under the weight of books I have either purchased there or that other people have purchased for me as gifts.  When my family is in Denver for Christmas, the Tattered Cover is always the last stop on my father’s and my marathon Christmas Eve shopping trip.   (Below is picture of Neilson, my father, and I last Christmas in the store.) For all these reasons, I am especially excited that I will speaking about Harriet Hosmer: A Cultural Biography on March 22 at 7:30 at the LoDo branch of the store.

Tattered Cover, Dec. 24, 2009

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On Friday, I popped into the Harvard Book Store, a terrific independent book shop in Harvard Square (obviously) to see if it carried Harriet Hosmer: A Cultural Biography.  I didn’t see the book in the American history section, so I dropped off a press release at the information desk.  (A friend of mine who works in marketing for a big publisher had suggested I approach independent bookstores personally about carrying the book.  It is not something I would have ever thought of–like many authors, I think, I just assumed bookstores would just magically know about it.  But it was great advice.)  Yesterday, I received a very nice e-mail from the head buyer for the store explaining that, in fact, the store did carry the book–in the art section!  Which of course makes perfect sense.  So if you are in the Cambridge area and want to buy a copy while supporting a local merchant, stop in.  You can also order online from the shop.

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