Paul Yamazaki, author of READING THE ROOM - an in-person Boswell event

Boswell Book Company presents an evening with Paul Yamazaki, author of Reading the Room: A Bookseller's Tale. In conversation with Boswell proprietor Daniel Goldin.

Over twenty-four hours, Paul Yamazaki leads us through the stacks of storied City Lights Booksellers in San Francisco; the care and prowess of his approach to book buying; his upbringing in a Japanese American family in Southern California and moving to San Francisco at the height of revolutionary foment; working with legendary figures in the book publishing industry like Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Sonny Mehta, and others; and his vision for the future of bookselling. Navigating building trust with readers and nurturing relationships across the literary industry, Yamazaki testifies to the value of generosity, sharing knowledge, and dialogue in a life devoted to books.

From Colson Whitehead: "All booksellers are the unsung heroes of American literature, but Paul Yamazaki is a superhero."

Paul Yamazaki has been the principal buyer at City Lights Booksellers, the legendary San Francisco bookstore and publisher founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter Martin, for more than fifty years. A champion for national and global literature, writers, publishers, and independent bookstores, Yamazaki was the recipient of the National Book Foundation's 2023 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. He has mentored generations of booksellers across America.

from Boswell. Signed copies and personalization available on pre-orders. Please note that signed copies will not be shipped until after the event.

Host or Publisher Boswell Book Company