This Might Change How You Recommend Books

The Art of Libromancy, by Josh Cook, published in 2023 by Biblioasis gave me a lot to think about as someone who recommends books.

0:00 – I loved this book
1:04 – My journey to this book
6:10 – Validation
7:32 – Better bookstore customer
9:09 – More informed reader
12:16 – More thoughtful content creator
13:30 – Biblioasis
18:02 – A challenge

Small presses recommended in The Art of Libromancy & in Biblioasis publications:
Coffee House Press
Graywolf Press
Dorothy, A Publishing Project
And Other Stories
Deep Vellum
Sandorf Passage
Arsenal Pulp Press
Coach House Books
House of Anansi Press
Sutherland House
Drawn & QuarterlyT
alonbooks
Vehicule Press
Nimbus
Goose Lane Editions
NeWest Press
Anvil Press
Cormorant Books
Dundurn Press
ECW
Gaspereau Press
Invisible Publishing
Bellevue Literary Press
Charco Press
Dalkey Archive
Galley Beggar Press
Open Letter
Two Dollar Radio

Where else can you find me?

Find my curated, independent press-focused lists at Bookshop and support independent bookstores!
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Any earnings through affiliate programs will be used to support nonprofit publishers.

#bookreview #booktube

[NicolesBookishNook]

Color me intrigued! I love that pitch.

[sarah-roadworthy]

I think we've been on a similar reading trajectory. Sounds like we've taken different routes to how we've reached this point in our reading lives. Booktube viewing drove me towards backlisted books and books that I wasn't hearing much about. I got bored with watching people discuss the same books over and over. I got more interested in watching content about books that were new to me. Although I've been conscious of what I buy, I've never really thought about what books I present on my channel. Although I don't have a big viewership, you are right that every single voice matters. Its a good reminder.

[BookishTexan]

It is so easy to get caught up in the hype behind big named authors and the books published by the big publishing houses even when you want and intend to read and promote books by independent publishers. The Art of Libromancy sounds really good.

[syncionebresgal]

Perfect description of my reading journey. I am so happy to have found your channel. It makes finding good books so much easier. Thanks!

[greyemk]

What a great idea! I used to ask my independent booksellers for more recommendations (I think this was the start of my finding indie presses - shoutout to Brazos Bookstore in Houston for recommending me Temporary by Hilary Leichter (Coffee House) ~ 2 years ago), but as I’ve gone deeper into Booktube I’ve gotten out of the habit as I feel my tbr is already too long 😫

This is something that also works at libraries! I’ve recently discovered that going to the new releases section and looking for paperbacks is a great way to find new indie press books - next time I go in I’ll have to ask my librarian!

[pensivelyreading]

This is such an amazing video review! I am definitely going to look for this book. I really appreciate your channel and how you highlight such cool indie books/publishers. Thanks for making such cool videos, and happy reading to you!

[josmith]

Indie and small presses have such exciting lists, especially if you want to read outside the U.S and U.K . Thank you for always highlighting them Sarah.

My tiny local bookstore’s owner only buys one of each book on her shelves and handpicks those she is interested in or thinks others will be, a huge proportion are from indie and small presses so it’s a treat to browse the shelves. I love your challenge and will try it sometime.

[Elizabeth-Reads]

What a fantastic video this was, thanks Sarah! ❤ I honestly don’t even look at the front shelves anymore. So many of those stories feel so derivative, you swallow them like brain candy and then completely forget a month later what you’d read. Whereas the books I’ve read from Charco/Two-Dollar Radio/Twin Axis, etc. I know I’ll remember years from now.

I do wonder if reader taste would change if more of these books were placed in their hands. Would they seek out more if they realized what a book could do? I hope things are changing, little by little, and that the struggling indies can survive for long enough to see that change. Prize lists, sellers like this author and channels like yours really can make a difference.

[marykalsbeek]

Thank you! Such great information. Starting Josh Cook's book this weekend and will definitely ask my book seller for a book that they loved, but did not get enough deserved attention. I will report back!

[AlyseReads]

Love this video! Thanks for championing indies and the book sounds fantastic!

[marcellainthemargins]

This was a great video! And I loved the goal you gave us, I;m definitely going to try that out next time I;m in a bookstore!

[kathyarrr]

Olive sent me over to your channel and it was an immediate subscribe.
Thank you for being a passionate advocate for small independent publishers!
I just have quick revision to your recommended small press list. Goose Land Editions should read Goose LANE Editions.
I look forward to finding some gems among your recommendations.

[RovingReader]

Okay, hello, we need to chat! I got my library to purchase this book and then I ended up buying my own signed copy because I realized that I previously visited Josh Cook's bookstore! Ummm... I am obsessed with this book and have pages of notes just from the first two chapters right now. I'm so so grateful that you spoke about this book!

“If we want to be allies to antiracism, we need to factor the thumb on the scale into our buying decisions. We need to buy fewer stacks of already popular, already well-supported, already privileged white writers and more books by everyone else.”

[NicolesBookishNook]

I must add that I LOVE your skeletons in the background

[WilliamV]

3:46 This section made me laugh. I’m adding this book to my TBR!

[Phil-pp]

Some excellent thoughtful content here Sarah, well done. There are many ways to shape one's own reading, and the reading of others, in a way that avoids allowing the marketing, value judgements, profit imperatives and power structures of the large industry players to simply lead us by the nose. But your advocacy of the role small independent publishers, new voices and their readers can play in shaping a more diverse, passion based and simply 'better' reading experience has much to recommend it. There is also great pleasure to be had in discovering and reading books which are the product of one's own creative investigations or those of like minded folk. I agree entirely that once one finds a book one loves from a small independent publisher, there is strong tendency to want to explore and enjoy others on their lists and also perhaps to become more open-minded and diverse in one's tastes. Bibliotherapy at its best! 

{Note that in the UK 'The Art of Libromancy' will be published on 22nd February 2024}.

[RovingReader]

Did you go to lit fest this year? I would LOVE to read that book!