A visual feast celebrating the alluring power of bookstores—68 paintings by illustrator Gibbs M. Smith.

The local bookstore, a place of wonder, refuge, and rejuvenation for book lovers the world over. Books & Mortar is a celebration of these literary strongholds. Sixty-eight oil paintings capture these storefronts at a moment in time, and pair the artwork with anecdotes about the shops and reflections on bookselling by many of the owners themselves.

A delightful gift for an avid reader, an inspiration for any bookstore owner, Books & Mortar is the perfect keepsake for anyone’s personal library.