How fitting on Memorial Day to find myself writing a hymn of gratitude to some of my most treasured literary heroes - the Independent Booksellers! Indies are, and will always be, my icons of true intellectual freedom. Without their impartial judgment, freedom to stock their shelves as they please, and daring support of new and unknown authors, publishing would be stale and we, the readers, would suffer terribly. On the shelves of independent booksellers all over the world, unexpected dreams are seeded, alternative visions explored, original voices heard. Often it's their initiative that leads the way in publishing trends; their support the local communities depend upon and their generosity that makes it possible for local talent to be fostered. They do all this without the massive discounts or advertising budgets available to their competitors and often at significant risk to themselves.

People's imaginations need cultivation just as they need sunlight, food and water. Without it we atrophy. Books - all kinds of books- are essential; to freedom, to democracy, to the expanding cultural fabric of this and all nations. (Have I gone to far? Maybe just a little?)

I don't think so.

I don't want to live in a homogenized, one-size-fits all world. Thank you, dear Indies, for being vivid and real and bespoke in an age where even our imaginations and curiosity are under daily threat of being shrink-wrapped and prepackaged. Thank you, sincerely, for being the unsung stewards of our cultural integrity.