Three Lives & Company

In the age of the Internet, when bookstores are closing at a rapid clip, this tiny West Village classic is a treasured hold out, open since 1968 and still going strong. Named for a Gertrude Stein novel, this is where you’ll find local authors browsing for a good read (the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and eager to dole out advice). Over the years, a who’s who of the literary world—Edmund White, Calvin Trillin, Susan Sontag—has done readings here.