--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't patronize the chain bookstores…" description: "\"Don't patronize the chain bookstores. Every time I see some author scheduled to read and sign his books at a chain bookstore, I feel like telling him h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_books_don-t-patronize-the-chain-bookstores-eve_2592644.jpg" --- # Don't patronize the chain bookstores. Every time I see… ![“Don't patronize the chain bookstores. Every time I see some author scheduled to read and sign his books at a chain bookstore, I feel like telling him he's stabbing the independent bookstores in the back.” quote by Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_books_don-t-patronize-the-chain-bookstores-eve_2592644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_books_don-t-patronize-the-chain-bookstores-eve_2592644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_books_don-t-patronize-the-chain-bookstores-eve_2592644.jpg) > “Don't patronize the chain bookstores. Every time I see some author scheduled to read and sign his books at a chain bookstore, I feel like telling him he's stabbing the independent bookstores in the back.” [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes big chain bookstores for harming independent shops, urging support for local retailers. **In simple terms:** Chains hurt small bookstores; support locals. Key Takeaway Buy from independents. Themes support commerce community culture Mood concerned advocacy Type social ethical When to use this quote - author events - bookstore choices - reading habits - local economies Key Concepts independent business market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can readers balance convenience with community impact? - What alternatives exist to chain stores? A Different Perspective Chains may offer lower prices and wider selection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) [Independent bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-bookstores/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The only people who have never had a problem with me speaking in their venues are independent bookstores and libraries. Universities and humanities councils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-only-people-who-have-never-had-a-problem-with-me-speaking-in/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [“The replacement of independent bookstores by firms such as Barnes & Noble, Waterstones or Borders superficially provided a wide range of reading, but their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ayad/the-replacement-of-independent-bookstores-by-firms-such-as-barnes/) Sara Ayad > [I wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for independent bookstores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wouldn-t-have-a-career-if-it-weren-t-for-independent-bookstores/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think it's crazy, crazy that book tours lose so much money. They shouldn't. Book tours should be part of what keeps independent bookstores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-it-s-crazy-crazy-that-book-tours-lose-so-much-money-they/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“The cultural critic Leon Wieseltier angrily noted, “The streets of American cities are haunted by the ghosts of bookstores and record stores, which have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-taplin/the-cultural-critic-leon-wieseltier-angrily-noted-the-streets-of/) [Jonathan Taplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-taplin/) > [My first signing was at my hometown independent bookstore and everyone in the world came. It was so nice. My family was there, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/my-first-signing-was-at-my-hometown-independent-bookstore-and/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Books in a large university library system: 2,000,000. Books in an average large city library: 10,000. Average number of books in a chain bookstore:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/books-in-a-large-university-library-system-2-000-000-books-in-an/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Barnes & Noble, along with other independent bookstores, are refusing to stock Amazon Publishing titles. They'll order books from the online retail giant if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/barnes-noble-along-with-other-independent-bookstores-are-refusing-to/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/decorating-consists-mostly-of-building-enough-bookshelves/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“Between the passage of the ITFA and 2015, Amazon essentially managed to wipe out the local bookstore and, to some extent, the local record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-taplin/between-the-passage-of-the-itfa-and-2015-amazon-essentially-managed/) [Jonathan Taplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-taplin/) > [I didn't know how many independent bookstores had amazing wine lists until I toured with 'Another Brooklyn.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-didn-t-know-how-many-independent-bookstores-had-amazing-wine-lists/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [We were just a one-room bookstore; we didn't have any money for lawyers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/we-were-just-a-one-room-bookstore-we-didn-t-have-any-money-for-lawyers/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Evangelical Christians and I can sit down and talk one on one about how much we love Jesus, and yet I'm not carried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/evangelical-christians-and-i-can-sit-down-and-talk-one-on-one-about/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## More by Lawrence Ferlinghetti > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [We have to raise the consciousness; the only way poets can change the world is to raise the consciousness of the general populace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/we-have-to-raise-the-consciousness-the-only-way-poets-can-change-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I didn’t know that painters and writers retired. They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-didn-t-know-that-painters-and-writers-retired-they-re-like-soldiers/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Paperbacks weren't considered real books in the book trade. Up till then it was just murder mysteries, potboilers, 25-cent pocket books sold in newsstands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/paperbacks-weren-t-considered-real-books-in-the-book-trade-up-till/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry is the shadow cast by our streetlight imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-is-the-shadow-cast-by-our-streetlight-imaginations/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The real literary editors have mostly been fired. Those that remain are all ottom line editors; everything depends on the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-real-literary-editors-have-mostly-been-fired-those-that-remain/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [“Cast up the heart flops over gasping 'Love' a foolish fish which tries to draw its breath from flesh of air And no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/cast-up-the-heart-flops-over-gasping-love-a-foolish-fish-which-tries/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The paintings may communicate even better because people are lazy and they can look at a painting with less effort than they can read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-paintings-may-communicate-even-better-because-people-are-lazy-and/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry can change the world, just like any art can change the world, by changing consciousness. Of course this was the great slogan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-can-change-the-world-just-like-any-art-can-change-the-world-by/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Almost every truly creative being alienated & expatriated in his own country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/almost-every-truly-creative-being-alienated-expatriated-in-his-own/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The future of publishing lies with the small and medium-sized presses, because the big publishers in New York are all part of huge conglomerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-future-of-publishing-lies-with-the-small-and-medium-sized-presses/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. If the poem or the painting has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-art-has-to-make-it-on-its-own-without-explanations-and-it-s-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [There is an ecstatic mechanism in birds that makes them fly upwards in spite of worms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/there-is-an-ecstatic-mechanism-in-birds-that-makes-them-fly-upwards/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) [Explore all 88 Lawrence Ferlinghetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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