The Indie 7: Michigan Bookstores Hold a Community Read

A coalition of seven independent bookstores in the Lansing area of Michigan recently decided to work together to organize a community reading event that would encompass not only Lansing, but its surrounding suburbs as well. The stores -- Archives Book Shop in East Lansing, Bestseller Books in Mason, Community Newscenter in Lansing, Cornerstone Books in Williamston, Curious Book Shop in East Lansing, and Schuler Books in Lansing and Okemos -- will hold events and discussions centered around the featured title, Chris Bohjalian's The Buffalo Soldier (Vintage), throughout January, February, and March. The title was selected by the booksellers based on customer recommendations.

Schuler Books' Promotions Coordinator Coryn Briggs told BTW that last year the local library hosted a community read called "One Book Many Voices," but this year the library decided to focus on other projects. "We [at Schuler] wanted to continue the community read," said Briggs. "We also wanted to extend the read to suburbs of Lansing. The idea was to continue offering a community read, but to make something that was sponsored by independent bookstores."

The two Schuler Books in the Lansing area invited five other independent bookstores in the closest suburbs to join them in the read. "All five said yes," explained Briggs. After everyone agreed to host the events, "we said we wanted to come up with a timeline," said Briggs. "We wanted to announce the read before Christmas, so people could buy the book as a gift idea. It worked. Sales [of the book] were very strong."

The read will offer seven events, one for each store. The main event will take place on March 25 when Bohjalian will give a reading and signing, and the bookstores will host a reception.

Once the community read was announced, all the stores displayed ballot boxes for customers to offer suggestions. From the various recommendations, the organizers settled on Buffalo Soldier, the story of a10-year-old African-American foster child who is adopted by a white couple whose twin daughters have drowned. The novel was chosen because of various themes of interracial parenting, grieving and loss, and the historical perspective on Buffalo soldiers, which can be coordinated with other events at the bookstores. Briggs said that some of the events were still in the planning stages. Cornerstone Books is working with a local movie theater to offer a screening of Buffalo Soldiers, a TV movie about the all-black U.S. cavalry troops who protected the Western territories after the Civil War.

Will the Lansing community read continue to be hosted by independent bookstores? Briggs said she hoped so, but that if the library wants to pick it up again next year, she wouldn't hold one in addition to theirs. The goal is that one way or another, people in the community are brought together through reading, she said. "The other purpose is to make people aware of independent booksellers here in the greater Lansing area and to make them aware of what our stores have to offer -- our events and book suggestions." --Karen Schechner