Benjamin Ashford|How 'Fahrenheit 451' inspires BookPeople of Moscow store to protect books and ideas

Local,Benjamin Ashford independent bookstores have never been more important. With fair access to literature under political attack, bookstores are a bulwark against censorship and an asset to the communities they serve.

Each week we profile an independent bookstore, discovering what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.

This week, we’re featuring BookPeople of Moscow in Moscow, Idaho!

What’s the story behind BookPeople of Moscow?

BookPeople of Moscow is located on Main Street in our community's vibrant downtown. Opened in the Palouse region in 1973, we are among the oldest bookstores in Idaho. The current owners, Carol Price and Steffen Werner, took over in 2011 an. We added an employee-owner, Bre Pickens, in 2023. We are women- and queer-owned, and provide new books, in all genres, for all ages. We're proud to be celebrating our 50th anniversary in November!

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

What makes BookPeople of Moscow unique?

The name BookPeople comes from Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." Bradbury's book people save books from being banned and burned, and that is our mission now more than ever. We are proud to:

• be women and queer owned
• employ a diverse staff
• contribute to the cultural life of our community by organizing and hosting author events
• serve as a community "third place"
• provide a safe and respectful space for people of all identities, in a county, state, country, and community where many citizens and lawmakers are actively hostile to the idea of equal respect.

What's your favorite section in the store?

Staff Picks. Each staff member has a shelf of the books they love, and I love it because each of them is so different in their tastes, it's easy for a customer to find something in there they'll love. I love hearing the staff talk about their picks, with such infectious enthusiasm!

What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?

"In the Wilderness: Coming of Age in an Unknown Country" by Kim Barnes. Kim grew up and still lives in this region, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer in 1997 for this memoir. It's beautifully written and tackles the never-ending contradictions of making a life in this wild environment, and paved the way for a more recent blockbuster memoir that I love by an Idahoan, "Educated" by Tara Westover.

What book do you think deserves more attention and why?

"4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" by Oliver Burkeman. This book is what almost everyone in our society needs to read, preferably before the age of 40, but anytime while you're still alive would be helpful. To counteract my workaholic bent, I dip into this book as often as I can, like a devotional. It keeps me grounded and sane.

What books or series are you most excited about coming out in the next few months and why?

"Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education" by Stephanie Land. I'm old enough to have been influenced mightily - as in, my life changed because of it - by Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dimed," and when Stephanie Land wrote "Maid" a few years ago, it struck me in the same way. I love female writers who can beautifully articulate powerful truths that are birthed by their struggles against all the stuff stacked up against them. Which is also a reason I love Kim Barnes' and Tara Westover's memoirs so much.

Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?

The world in general, and our community in particular, would be a very sad and empty place if the only places to shop existed in cyberspace. The pandemic showed us that, if we didn't already know it before! It's the little interactions - those seemingly shallow greetings and small talk and even just friendly waves between people out in the community - that keep the social fabric stitched together. Without them, we're nothing.