57th Street Books is located in the Southside Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park. I’m from the north side, but my family always loves to make a trip to this neighborhood for great food, views of the lake and city, and the bookstore. I took my boyfriend out for a similar outing just a few weeks ago and he loved the bookstore too. He even got a book without me forcing him.

This bookstore is made up of 4 or 5 small rooms that require some weaving in and out of bookshelves to find. The bookshelves and walls are all made of wood and it’s very cozy, surely a little too cozy at times. In every section, there is a selection of books on display. They look new and inviting with bright and artistic cover sleeves (which always entices me, despite the never-judge-by-the-cover theory), but my favorite part is they are not top ten list books. They look like they might be and actually they are a few years old. Which is great because when I decide NOT to buy the book, I can go get it from the library without 8 week hold list. They also have used books and a great collection of classics with both original and artsy fartsy covers (great if you want to decorate your apartment AND look smart). Books on display often have someone’s hand written recommendation or review alongside them as well, which is actually what convinced my not-a-big-reader boyfriend to get the book.

Lastly, the bookstore is in a great neighborhood (as I mentioned before). Buy your book and go read it in one of the big parks or on the lakefront of the Hyde Park area (the place where Obama grew up! Oh yeah — rumor has it he loved this book store too!) under the 100 year old giant trees. Hope you make it there some day!