Book Tour Takes Hillary to Independents Across the U.S.

As Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) book tour for Living History (Simon & Schuster) winds its way through America, the former First Lady has stopped, and has many planned stops, at independent bookstores throughout the nation. And independent booksellers who have hosted Clinton book-signings told BTW that they were grateful the New York Senator has included independent bookstores on her well-publicized book tour.

"[Sen. Clinton's] coming here meant a lot to us," said Clara Villarosa of the Hue-Man Bookstore in Harlem, New York, who hosted a Clinton book-signing on Monday, June 16, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. "She's very gracious -- she gets it. We talked about her going to an African-American, female-owned specialty bookstore uptown, and in Harlem. That obviously was making a statement. She said, 'I hope this is helpful.'"

Booksellers might say it's more than helpful. Thus far, those independents who have hosted a Clinton event noted that sales were phenomenal, to say the least. Over the past week, Sen. Clinton appeared at two events hosted by independent bookstores in the New York City area, and another independent bookstore was the bookseller at Clinton's book party at the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan.

On Saturday, June 14, Second Story Book Shop, located in Sen. Clinton's hometown of Chappaqua, New York, hosted a signing at the Chappaqua Library, and over 500 people attended. It was held at the library because it had more room, said owner Joan Ripley, who noted that the Clintons are frequent customers at her store.

Ripley said that the bookstore has sold 1,000 copies of Living History. "[Sen. Clinton] was fabulous, and she gave a great speech," she said. "She could not have been more gracious or friendlier." The bookstore designed a special limited edition bookplate for the books, which noted that the book was a first edition purchased from Second Story Book Shop, "Hometown of Hillary Clinton."

At the 4,000-square-foot Hue-Man, Villarosa estimated that the store pre-sold 750 books for the event. The store put numbered tickets in each book to indicate the customer's place on line for the signing to ensure there was no mad rush during the event. Other bookstores took a similar tack. "It went very well," Villarosa said. "Everyone was very orderly. We lined everyone up outside. I did that with [the] Colin Powell [book signing] when I was [a bookseller] in Denver."

Also on Monday, June 16, the Bronx, New York-based Paperbacks Plus was the bookseller at Sen. Clinton's book party, held at the famous Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan. Owner Fern Jaffe estimated that there were over 600 guests at the party and said sales were phenomenal. Among the guests was the former President, who helped his wife sign her bestselling book, as reported by the Associated Press.

Sen. Clinton's book tour, which runs into August, will have her crossing the country stopping at independents along the way from Huntington, New York, to Pasadena, California, to Martha's Vineyard. In Chicago, the Senator will appear at independent bookstore Women & Children First on June 28, at 10:30 a.m.

Not surprisingly -- especially in light of the upcoming release of a certain book about a boy wizard (whose name also begins with an "H") -- co-owner of Women & Children First and ABA President Ann Christophersen told BTW that she was extremely busy, but in a good way. "We're very excited [about Sen. Clinton's upcoming appearance]," she said. "We've been very busy answering phone calls!"

As Villarosa did at Hue-Man, Women & Children First pre-sold Living History with numbered tickets and has since sold out. "Under the publisher's guidance, the thought was she could sign 750 books in an hour-and-a-half, and we've sold out," Christophersen said, and she noted that there was a limit of two books per customer. However, there are plans to do a "stand-by" line, in case the Senator can get to more books.

In the coming weeks, according to Living History's publisher, Simon & Schuster, Sen. Clinton is scheduled to appear at the following independent bookstores:

Book Revue, Huntington, New York, June 20
Book Passage, Corte Madera, California, June 28
Women & Children First, Chicago, June 28
Vroman's, Pasadena, California, June 29
Bookends, Ridgewood, New Jersey, July 11
That Bookstore in Blytheville, Blytheville, Arkansas, July 26;
Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, Colorado, July 26
Warwick's, La Jolla, California, August 4
A Clean Well Lighted Place, San Francisco, August 5
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, Washington, August 6
Left Bank Books, St. Louis, August 11
Rainy Day Books, Kansas City, August 12
Joseph Beth Books, Cleveland, August 13
Bunch of Grapes, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, August 16

-- David Grogan