A Crush With a Book

By Ana Paola Davila Chalita

The message of the “blind date with a book” section at Book People is “don’t judge a book by its cover.”

In an effort to promote reading and introduce new books, the biggest independent bookstore in Texas has created this section to encourage readers to take a chance on a book they might not otherwise pick up.

The blind date section features a collection of books carefully wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. The book’s cover is hidden, and instead, a short description is written by the staff with a black sharpie on the front of the package.

“It’s more mysterious,” Audrey Hollingsworth, who works at Book People, said. She’s wrapped up a couple of books herself. She said she is often guided by a book’s cover and whether it looks ugly or not, so this section is an opportunity for her to discover a new favorite without being deceived by her eyes.

At the corner of 6th St. and N. Lamar Blvd., the indie library has been around since 1970 and has become the hidden retreat from the hustle for locals and tourists.

Visitors are greeted with the smell of books and coffee. Although it lacks comfortable reading couches, the bookstore does have a good coffee shop with tables where visitors can sit, read, and escape the sun or reality, or enjoy a rainy day.

The blind date with a book section is at the front of the store and behind the information area. It is the opportunity to discover a new favorite author, the next choice for your book club, or one more addition to the pile of books sitting at home waiting to be read.

After all, blind dates might either be an awkward disaster, or the beginning of the greatest love story.