A Review of Longfellow Books

February 02, 2023 by James Duncan in Bookshop Review

Monument Square, Portland, ME

Portland, Maine is one of my favorite places to go book hunting, and not just because I can grab one of the best milkshakes in the universe at Duck Fat while I do it, but also because there are so many bookstore options available, from those exclusively selling brand new releases to those specializing in secondhand and hard-to-find vintage titles. Longfellow Books has a perfect balance between them, with all the best new bestsellers as well as loads of discounted books, new and old, and plenty of gifts too.

A Review of Sherman’s Maine Coast Bookshop (Portland)

October 10, 2020 by James Duncan in Bookshop Review

49 Exchange St, Portland, ME

Sherman’s Maine Coast Bookshop in Portland is one of a chain of bookstores located in towns and cities throughout the region, and this particular location is in the heart of the city’s Old Port neighborhood, surrounded by coffee shops, amazing restaurants, and trendy boutiques. I already visited other Sherman’s Bookshops and I hoped this one would stand up to the excellent reputation it earned elsewhere. Answer: yes, yes it does, as I discovered on a cool summer morning with a coffee in hand and a mask on my face.

A Review of Yes Books

January 12, 2020 by James Duncan in Bookshop Review

589 Congress St., Portland, ME

While other nearby bookshops were closed on a blustery Tuesday afternoon, Yes Books was there for us when we trudged through the snow and sleet to push through the doors and enter a world or precarious stacks, narrow aisles, and floor-to-ceiling books that kept going and going, a literary pack-rat’s dream shop.