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Greetings from Charlottesville, My Favorite Booktown

April 15, 2008 Good morning, readers, and apologies for not blogging yesterday. I'm taking a wee break with Mr. Bethanne in Charlottesville, Virginia. C-Ville is, of course, the home of The University. (Yes, that's what many locals, alums, and Cavalier fans call it.) I'll never forget the first time I walked by this statue in front of the Rotunda (photo, right, courtesy of Dan Beards via Flickr) with a friend who had grown up in the South (unlike your very Yankee Book Maven). I smiled at the statue and said "Hello, Tom!" She said "That's Mister Jefferson, to you."

I'm still pretty sure she wasn't joking. The University may be a living, thriving academic institution, but in the hearts of many it will always be Mr. Jefferson's Academical Village.

But I digress, as usual. The University of Virginia is where I did my graduate work in English, and Charlottesville is where the elder Mini Maven was born, so being down here is a treat personally -- but it's also a treat professionally, because Charlottesville is a great town for readers, writers, and bibliophiles. 

Where do I begin? Although I missed it this year due to a deadline, the Virginia Festival of the Book was a big success as it has been since its 1994 inception. Its staff -- director Susan Coleman, program director Nancy Damon, and associate program directon Kevin McFadden -- is tireless, well-connected, and (this is no small thing) truly civilized. It's no wonder authors flock to this event, which continues to have a community feel.

That's because Charlottesville, as a university town, has readers of every age and stage. The Barnes & Noble here feels less like a big-box store than any other I've visited. I'm still mourning the loss of Williams Corner Bookstore, but I'm happy that the Downtown Mall's New Dominion Book Shop remains busy (I cannot resist their front fiction tables; it's the one store where I usually leave with a dozen titles stuffed into my tote bags. I'll let you know tomorrow what the damage is from this afternoon when I get there for my annual pillage.)

I'll also be visiting Heartwood Books -- I can't blame my book addiction on this wonderful used/rare/overstock store tucked on Elliewood Avenue, but I can blame much of my book collection on its fantastic culling of nonfiction titles. Heartwood also buys books, but it won't surprise you to know that I didn't take much advantage of that option...

Well, it's time for me to hit The University's bookstore so I can bring back tee shirts for the Mini Mavens. I'll share more about my bookish adventures here tomorrow -- and I'll blog again today, too. Thanks, as always, for reading. I'd love to hear about your own favorite booktowns.

Posted by Bethanne Patrick on April 15, 2008 | Comments (5)