Bookends in Ridgewood is one independent bookstore that sets itself apart from the monopoly of e-readers, Amazon.com orders and Barnes & Noble chains. Known for its impressive meet-and-greet author events and signings, the small bookshop has hosted more than 1,000 authors in the past fifteen years.
Now, the shop prepares for Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former United States Secretary of State, as she heads to Bookends on July 17 at 6 pm to promote her new memoir, Hard Choices (Simon & Schuster, 2014). Hard Choices is the fifth book Secretary Clinton has published with Simon & Schuster.
“She has a lot riding on this book,” says Walter L. Boyer, who has co-owned the shop with his wife Pat Boyer since 1984. “Financially and professionally. She is great with people, so that helps.”
This will be the second time Secretary Clinton has visited Bookends, so the staff is prepared for a massive turnout. For her first memoir, Living History (2004), Bookends catered to a crowd of 1,500. “She was kind enough to sign everyone’s book,” says Boyer.
“We are certainly one of the few surviving independent bookstores that is able to attract these types of authors,” notes Boyer. “There’s probably only a handful in the country that can handle this kind of crowd.”
In June, Bookends hosted a wide-range of authors including Kendall and Kylie Jenner, the teenage reality stars from Keeping Up with the Kardashians; Steve Forbes, the Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine, and New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert, known for her breakout memoir Eat, Pray, Love.
For those hoping to get a signed copy of Hard Choices, a copy must be purchased at the store before the event (at least a few days in advance), and the book receipt will function as the ticket to the signing. There is a maximum of two books per person, and the shop hands out bracelets that will be cut after meeting Secretary Clinton to prevent repeat-visitors. Visit the website for more details.
While Bookends can’t guarantee that every single book will be signed, each guest typically is able to shake her hand and say hello. “You don’t get to spend ten minutes with her, but it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a future president.”