"What kind of bookshop are we gonna be?"

Tsh chats with Shawn Smucker, novelist and co-owner (with his wife) of the indie bookstore Nooks. They talk about his first foray into running a bookshop, what it’s like to connect with local regulars, how to decide which books to stock, how to juggle bookshop-keeping with writing (or not), and other sundry regarding the delights and challenges of keeping the lights on in the neighborhood book nook.

• Shawn & Maile Smucker’s bookshop: Nooks

• Shawn’s newsletter: The Courage to Live It

• Shawn’s books

• Tsh’s newsletter: The Commonplace

• Tsh’s books, trips, & Rule of Life

• Ned Bustard

• I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger

• The Secret History, by Donna Tartt

• The Witch Elm, by Tana French

• Slow Productivity, by Cal Newport

• The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray

• This is Happiness, by Niall Williams

• The Overstory, by Richard Powers

• I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, by William Gay

• Recommended reads

• Become a supporting subscriber

• Buy a round of drinks

• Join the next pilgrimage on the Rhine River