Blog Post

Photo credits: Piers van der Merwe

If you have ever ordered a book online through Half.com, AbeBooks, or Amazon third-party sellers, there is a good chance you bought a book from Powell’s Books. My entire reference point to Powell’s, until more recently, was the paper receipts that fall out of the copious books I buy online. After I moved to Los Angeles; however, I discovered that Powell’s is, in fact, also a mecca for West Coast readers—the ultimate tourist destination and pilgrimage for book lovers.

Powell’s is more than just a bookstore, as its name aptly suggests. Rather it is a City of Books. Occupying an entire block of Portland’s trendy Pearl District, Powell’s is multi-storied and multi-roomed with bright colors designating the distinct generic chambers of its paperback and hardcover residents, both new and used. The vast quantity of material, including a wide selection of board and card games, within its walls guarantees that every member of a family or friend group will find something to occupy their attention. And if you hunt hard enough, you might also stumble upon its cozy little coffee shop where you can make yourself comfortable, sip a tasty latte, and thumb through potential purchases.

I myself visited the store twice during our visit and wish I could have spent a few more hours there. Not only did I pick up several books I’d been looking for (Octavia Butler’s Kindred, Walter Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz, and China Miéville’s Perdido Street Station), but I made a few friends. Other visitors to this literary shrine tend to share a similar love for reading, so conversations easily strike up between those scouring the shelves for a particular title. By the end of my visit, I’d added a sizable number of new recommended publications to my Goodreads “to-read” shelf.

If you don’t have any space in your suitcase for new books, you can also peruse their large selection of literary-inspired trinkets or simply find inspiration for your next read. As you leave, you will be reminded that the act of reading is no solitary activity but rather an act of community with this definition blazoned above the cashiers:

lithosphere —
1: the vast domain of the world’s readers and writers.
2: a lively literary mood permeating the air.

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