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Bookstore review: after-words bookstore

Despite my father having lived not far for many years, I had never visited after-words bookstore (23 East Illinois Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611) until this past weekend. I had found out about after-words bookstore when looking for bookstores to add to my list of "15 bookstores I haven't been to in Chicago that I'd like to go to". On Saturday, I had the perfect opportunity to check it out. I had just seen a play and had a dinner reservation in a few hours. Furthermore, after-words bookstore was right in between the theater and the restaurant.

I walked there with a friend and, per the sign that greeted us, we checked in at the desk. We were welcomed by a friendly bookseller who explained how to tell what was a used book and what was a new book (not that that really mattered to me) and asked us to please sanitize before browsing (which I was happy to do).

To start my exploration, I checked out one of the sections of the first floor: YA. I love YA books and after-words bookstore has an impressive selection of them. To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed by how many titles appealed and I figured I'd come back for a recommendation. I moved along to the graphic novels and found a book I'd been dying to read: Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag (Author) and Xanthe Bouma (Illustrator). I immediately snatched it up and kept on my exploration.

Then, it was time to head to the lower level. This is where I was in awe. There were so many books! I hadn't realized how large after-words bookstore was! It was an exciting kind of overwhelming feeling. I quickly found the true crime section and found Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference, and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid. I hadn't heard of this book, but I knew a tiny bit about the subject matter. I added it to my pile.

My friend had to depart shortly after we made our way downstairs, but I had plenty of more time so I kept exploring on my own--lugging my big red winter coat along with my growing pile of books (I probably should've gotten one of the proffered baskets, but, alas). The next place I found a book for my pile was in the mystery section. I spotted a face-out book with what looked to be the Loch Ness Monster on it. Combining cryptids and mystery? Sign me up! So then, A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan joined my pile.

Despite having three great books already, I kept browsing--taking a special look at the staff recommendations. While I enjoyed that there a shelf for each bookseller, I wish they had been featured more prominently. Still, this is a minor quibble.

Ultimately, I decided my three finds were enough. As I checked out, I asked the bookseller working the register if I could stay and read a while (I still had time before my dinner reservation). He smiled and said of course I was welcome to as long as I left before closing (11pm that day--not a problem as my dinner reservation was for 6:30). The bookseller also got me signed up for their customer database.

Overall, after-words bookstore has a very open-feeling first floor and a well-organized and welcomingly packed lower level. Staff was kind, offering help, but not pestering. I'm eager to return.

(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)

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