Michelle Obama has recently gone on to remind everyone why bookstore space is magical. The former First Lady celebrated Independent Bookstore Day on her Instagram page with an applaud for the bookstores and booksellers who are keeping the book-lover spirit alive. Boy, did this one really get a lot of comments!
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“Obama speaks to that unerasable feeling of entering a bookstore, looking around the shelves for something new on which to fix one’s attention.” As if that was not enough, followers flooded the comments inviting every local favorite they could think of, and the comments turned into a love letter to independent bookstores from Sacramento to Nigeria.
“SandyPandy76” phrased it best: “Perfect agree! Love stopping at every bookstore I see.” Same! @toneyl9 also said they still feel “kid-like excitement” when hunting for books together with everyone else.
But the star of the comments is the massively huge amount of bookstores mentioned. @naturelori shined the light on @wildsistersbookco in Sacramento, being women-owned. @luciespositivenotes basically professed undying love toward Barnes & Noble, igniting a little heated mini-debate in the replies about whether this counts as indie—oops. Meanwhile, others, like @bluehavenendecor, just enjoy the vibe: “Just sitting around books makes me happy.” What a mood!
It cuts deep, for sure. @eddisonsmithiii had a heart-warming shout-out for @thebottomknox in Tennessee for being a space for Black stories that are sometimes not appreciated in the surrounding community. @elainealec_ brought to light @irondogbooks and @massybooks, Indigenous-owned stores in Vancouver. Of course, @baba_aminu showed some love to @spine_and-label in Abuja, Nigeria.
But what remains a mystery? What are the books Michelle actually bought? @jasminepics was demanding answers: “Come on, Michelle, show us the books!!” The responses were a mixture of playful begging and sleuthing—one user allegedly identified a specific book cover in the background (Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson, apparently).
And there was a whole letter worthy of Lady Whistledown, the very “@nipat1422.” The Bridgerton-style letter dropped to speculate about Obama’s book haul: “Was it a treatise on philosophy? A riveting romance?” That’s just iconic behavior.
Needless to say, not all comments were of the lighthearted kind. @_morningwoods_ showed support for @thebookjewel near LAX after a car crashed into the store. Just another reminder that indie bookstores are not just beautiful places; they are lifelines for the community that needs to support them.
Whatever the case, comment chains gave way to what seemed a world book-club meeting toward the end. The love for local shops flowed excessively, from @powellsbooks in Portland straight through @thepapergarden_co in Pennsylvania, while Michelle Obama would have also registered the most wholesome internet moment of the week.
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So the next time you go past a bookstore, step in. You might just run into a former First Lady. Or find your next favorite read.
