In mid-March, Well-Read Books made the difficult decision to close its doors to the public as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but we managed to carry on supplying people with reading material.
During this difficult time, we processed orders over the phone and via email. If we didn’t have the books you were looking for we were happy to make in-stock suggestions based on other books you’ve enjoyed. Throughout these “lockdown times” we were posting interesting books that you might only find had you been in the store browsing and we were filling our display windows with potential favourite books, which we will continue to do. Since we were not accepting books for drop-off we quickly ran out of trendy kids books; it was extremely satisfying picking out mystery book grab bags for families with children.
We received lots of praise and positive feedback. Our customers took advantage of our curb-side pick-up and seemed to be quite pleased with this service and happy to have a new (used) book for sheltering at home. Great news through! We have opened our doors once again and are happy to be serving our clientele face-to-face (with plexiglass/two meters between us).
We will continue to offer curb-side pick-up for those that are not ready to come in and browse or for anyone with a cold or other symptoms. Based on books we have in stock our staff has come up with three book recommendations for people eager for new things to read:
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1) The Vinyl Cafe series by Stuart McLean:
In these times of pandemic fears, self isolation and 24/7 news on COVID-19, we all need an escape. Sometimes, that escape might be a big fat book full of adventure. My brain needs something bite-sized right now (anything else is too hard to focus on) and one of McLean’s short stories are perfect. I can still hear his voice – made famous by his long-running CBC show of the same name – while reading from his Vinyl Cafe stories. Some are just laugh out loud funny, while others just leave my heart brimming and sometimes my eyes brimming too. There is something in each story for everyone. They would be lovely to read aloud with family, and I believe Stuart would appreciate knowing his stories are still there for people to gather around and listen to.
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2) The Road by Cormac MacCarthy:
This famous novel is a post-apocalyptic nightmare. This book is for readers that enjoy dark and dismal. It is suiting for the times and might even make you feel thank-ful that we are not living through that situation. MacCarthy writes in an unconventional way involving run-on sentences that will make you keep turning the pages. It is a fast paced story of a father and son making their way through the ash with little hope for the future.
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3) Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay
This is a distinctly Canadian book, and not just because it’s set in Yellowknife. Margaret Atwood defines much of Canadian literature as a focus on the remoteness and the inhospitable nature of Canada’s wilderness, and the reader surely feels it. People wander up north with little more than their cars and clothes on their backs, finding work at the local radio station, where their differing personalities set themselves up for a slow fall into destruction. Yet, although this self destruction of the characters can be traced to one another, it’s nature that, in the end, claims them. Few are made of the stock needed to survive such a landscape, the story seems to say, and anyone who lives in the north will be familiar with how often those who come up here are worn down and driven back south within a few seasons.
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We want to thank everyone who supported us through this time. We have the best customers and we are feeling loved and super grateful!
You can find Well-Read Books on Facebook (@welreadbookswhitehorse) and Instagram (@wellreadbooks_).
Please call 393-2987 or email [email protected] with any book inquiries.
Thank-you all so much,
With love from the owners and staff,
Well-Read Books Yukon’s Used Book Haven
