Used Bookstores in Airports

One of my favorite pleasures when I fly through the Raleigh-Durham airport is the used bookstore, 2nd Edition Booksellers. What a cool idea! Every time I fly through RDU I try to stop by and browse and dream, even if for a minute. I’m here now and this morning I bought “Les Miserables,” by Victor Hugo. There are these books that recommend the books we all need to read. One is called “1001 Books You Need to Read Before You Die.” I would love nothing more than to read each of the 1001. There are, however, two problems. First, because the 1001 are really classics, what about all the current books I want to read. I’m not sure there’s enough time in my like to read them all. But what a sub-goal for life that would be. By sub-goal I can’t really say that would be a main goal, but a corollary to a good life.

I’d like my epitaph to read: “Fighter for Justice, Reader of 1001 Great Books.” This makes me think. I need to do a blog posting about great epitaphs, and solicit your ideas. Anyway, this morning I bought a book for $4.28 including tax (I guess sales tax must be 7% here), which given my new home purchase and impending wedding (February 24th), is about all I can afford.

I told the cashier at 2nd Edition that it was cool to find a used bookseller in an airport, let alone any used bookseller of any quality most anywhere. It wasn’t the best, but considering it’s in the airport, it’s pretty good. She told me apparently there are also used bookstores in the Portland and Milwaukee airports. Who knew? I’ve never flown to Milwaukee (I’ve driven there from Chicago when I was there), and I’ve probably only flown into Portland once, or at most twice. I asked the cashier if the Portland store was affiliated with Powells, one of the best and largest used bookstores in America (been there), and she said it was. We need to make sure to patronize these used bookstores. Remember: Raleigh, Portland, Milwaukee. Make sure to fly through these cities.