Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
Birmingham named 8th best city in U.S. for book lovers
Reading time: 3 minutes
Birmingham bookworms rejoice! Popular digital travel publication Explore.com has named The Magic City the 8th best city for book lovers in 2024.
Read on to learn why they ranked Birmingham high on their list.
Well-deserved honor Birmingham
When you see these national lists come out, you often wonder if the “experts” who pull together the ranking have ever visited or know anything about the community they are writing about.
The good folks at Explore know Birmingham.
How can you tell? Within their list of reasons why we cracked the top ten cities nationally for book lovers, they provided the next local examples:
- The Alabama Booksmith — the one-of-a-kind “signed” bookstore
- Birmingham Public Library (BPL) — from the Southern Literature Collection downtown to the extensive regional network of 70+ libraries, BPL is a treasure
They also recognized The Magic City’s literary scene and powerful local writers Angela Davis and Sonia Sanchez.
Reaction to the best book lover city ranking
Bham Now collected several comments from the groups profiled in the Explore story and a local bookstore.
Here is what they said about the distinction given to our community.
Birmingham Public Library
“With a rich history of service, the Birmingham Public Library is over 100 years old. We proudly provide an extensive and ever-growing collection of books, materials, and resources. Also, the Linn Henley Research Library houses a world-class collection that draws researchers from across the globe. It is a true Birmingham treasure.”
Janine Langston, Executive Director and Karyn Davis-West Deputy Director, Birmingham Public Library
The Alabama Booksmith
“How terrific that The Magic City is recognized for another area of leadership. Being named by Explore to the list of top ten cities in America for Book Lovers is one more hook to bring visitors our way and also discover Birmingham’s many, many attractions. We are flattered to be featured in the article. Evidently, being the only bookstore on the planet where every book is signed and sold at regular publisher price, does draw interest.”
Jake Reiss, Owner, The Alabama Booksmith
Thank You Books
“This designation just affirms what Thank You Books already knew to be true: Birmingham is full of curious and creative people! We’re delighted to see our community recognized in this way, and we work every day to make sure we’re doing our part to keep feeding our readers’ imaginations. And while we are sure independent bookstores have an important role to play, we also think Alabama’s librarians deserve huge credit for the amazing work they do.”
Elizabeth Goodrich, Co-Owner, Thank You Books
Another reason Birmingham has made the list is because we are the national headquarters for Books-A-Milion.
Who is ahead of Birmingham?
Curious about who ranked ahead of Birmingham. It is a pretty impressive list from all over the nation.
- Lancaster, PA
- New York City, NY
- Harrisburg, PA
- Pensacola, FL
- Poughkeepsie, NY
- Portland, OR
- Pittsburgh, PA
Did Explore get it right? What are some other reasons why Birmingham is on the best city for book lovers list? Tell us on social media by tagging us in the comment section @bhamnow
