Kate Layte

Welcome to Marginalia, Kate.

Thank you so much for having me, Beth.

I really appreciate it.

So what do you have on your stack for us today?

I have so many books I'm always excited about.

I've been a bookseller for 20 years now, and one that I'm super excited about is written by a fellow bookstore owner, and their name is Jules Wernersbach.

The book is called Work To Do.

They own a bookstore called Hive Mind Books, and it's a queer independent bookstore in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

And it's this amazing little book about a grocery store co-op and the characters that are there.

The author themselves has worked in retail, in bookstores for two decades.

And just the experience of these characters, like you feel like you know them.

They jump off the page.

And I always admire a bookstore owner, especially having time to write a book.

I don't know how they do it.

Another one I just finished reading by another independent bookstore owner is called Shut Up and Read by Janine A. Cook.

And she is the founder and owner of Harriet's Bookstore.

And I was so inspired by her story and her inspiration, of course, based on Harriet Tubman and that she channels Harriet throughout her book.

And I found it fascinating.

Being a bookstore owner isn't the sanest career choice.

And we do it for all sorts of different reasons.