Canadian Independent Booksellers Association executive director Laura Carter and Indigo founder and CEO Heather Reisman have asked Prime Minister Mark Carney to exclude books from the upcoming 25% counter tariffs that are due to take effect April 2 on a further $125 billion worth of goods imported into Canada from the U.S., Quill & Quire reported. The government intends to impose the levy if the U.S. does not remove tariffs that apply to Canadian goods.

In a joint letter dated March 20, CIBA and Indigo contended that not doing so would have "devastating consequences for Canadian readers, our businesses, and our cultural landscape.... Unlike interchangeable consumer goods we know that readers will not likely substitute a book arriving via the U.S. for a Canadian printed and warehoused book. At this time there is nowhere near the capacity in Canada to handle all of our printing and warehousing. This tariff threatens the survival of bookstores and the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians."

And per the Calgary Herald, the letter said that the majority of books sold in Canadian bookstores, including those by Canadian authors, "are published by multinational publishers whose Canadian divisions rely on U.S. printers and warehouses for distribution. This onerous tariff therefore would unfairly apply to books not only from U.S. authors but many Canadian and international authors."

Jack Illingworth, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, told Q&Q: "We're worried about the viability of booksellers, the potential for U.S. retaliation (Canada can currently ship books to the U.S. tariff-free, but Congress can end that at any point), and the long-term impact of abandoning Canada's practice of keeping culture off the table in trade disputes. That last item could be a problem in any future review or renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, as it is the principle that safeguards our ability to fund and regulate cultural industries. In the longer term, Canadian printing capacity could become an issue if the multinationals move more of their production here."

He added that books facilitate the exchange of knowledge: "Books aren't a fungible product like drapes or cheese. Someone who wants a specific book wants only that book. While we'd love readers to explore the wealth of fantastic Canadian-published books that are in the market, it would be a mistake to limit the choices that are available in the marketplace. We're strongly opposed to a one-way tariff on books and have been advocating to government to that end."

The third annual RISE Bookselling Conference opened Sunday morning in Riga, Latvia, with a keynote talk by Nadia Wassef, co-founder of Diwan Bookstore in Cairo, Egypt, and author of Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller (Picador).

Wassef recalled how in 2002, she and two other women founded Diwan armed with little more than guts and dreams. They knew next to nothing about the book business, including all that could go wrong, and while ignorance might not be bliss, it offered a "complete absence of fear."

The bookstore's early success led to a second location six years later, followed by a period of rapid growth that saw Diwan operating 10 branches by 2010. Diwan was already in dire financial straits, having cut costs and closed a few locations, when the revolution of 2011 began. Wassef noted that it was one thing to read about revolutions in history books--living through one was "cataclysmic." People were buying food, not books, and the months that followed were "emotionally and financially draining."

Nadia Wassef

It took seven years, Wassef continued, for the Diwan team to "claw our way back into the black." Locations closed and new ones opened, and in 2021 Diwan founded a publishing wing. Earlier this month, Diwan celebrated its 23rd anniversary, and it now boasts nine branches, two seasonal stores on Egypt's north coast, and the publishing house. The story of triumph after near extinction, Wassef said, "echoes that of countless independent bookstores."

"Every bookseller is a Scheherazade of sorts, sustaining not only themselves but their entire community and cohort through the power of storytelling," she said, referencing the heroine of One Thousand and One Nights. "And with each recommendation, each conversation, every reinvention, we prolong the life of bookselling, for one more day, one more story."

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During her opening remarks, European and International Booksellers Federation director Julie Belgrado acknowledged the "worrying state" of the world, with wars, attacks on freedom of expression, and "democratic backsliding" in countries all around the globe.

But "against all odds," some 300 booksellers representing 30 nations find themselves "in a free country," able to gather and reunite. "From Egypt to Australia, Latvia to USA, Italy to Canada, we are all here to recognize the fundamental work that booksellers do. Because booksellers--you--contribute to upholding our democracies every day."

She also announced that RISE, originally a three-year project, will officially "stay for another four years."

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The conference's first day also included panels on innovative bookshop ideas, catering to neurodivergent readers, building effective teams, a keynote conversation with a Ukrainian bookseller, and more. More coverage will follow in Shelf Awareness this week. --Alex Mutter

Invitation Bookshop, Gig Harbor, Wash., will move from its Olympic Drive location to a downtown space at 3119 Judson St. The News Tribune reported that owner Allyson Howard described the current store as "a little off the beaten path," in an area that doesn't get significant foot traffic. 

Invitation Bookshop's new home

"The waterfront really is the historic and community heart of Gig Harbor," she noted. "And when you look at the role of bookstores in communities... so much of what we do and so much of our mission as a bookstore is tied to community." 

She and her husband, Jason Howard, opened the bookshop in 2020, naming it after the first poem in Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends. She said "invitation" is the way she views the relationship between book and reader. 

The space on Judson Street became available after a national boating supply company closed its Gig Harbor location, according to Howard, who noted that customers will be able to continue visiting the Olympic Drive shop until at least April 2.

Plans call for Invitation Bookshop to close temporarily for the move and reopen between April 12 and 17. The new space adds some 1,000 square feet. Howard said that while the shop's sales floor won't expand by much, the new location will have a small dedicated event space, allowing them to host events during store hours, not just after.

David Youngstrom, a former bookseller and sales rep, died on March 16. He was 78.

Youngstrom briefly attended Hobart College, leaving in 1967. He received Conscientious Objector status A for his stand against the Vietnam War and was placed in the Alternative Service program for two years, serving in the addiction units of several hospitals in New York City, before transferring to the Flower-Fifth Avenue Hospital bookstore. 

David Youngstrom

This began a lifelong career path in the publishing industry. Youngstrom also pursued an interest in music writing by knocking on the door of the home "office" of Crawdaddy!, the first magazine devoted to serious rock criticism. The publisher hired him on the spot to be the office manager--one of the magazine's first paid employees.

In 1970, he and his wife, Frances, moved to Denver, Colo., to start a family. He continued his career as a bookseller, first at All Books, then for a decade at Gordon's Wholesale Books. In the early '70s, while juggling parenthood and a career, he fed his passion for music through a moonlighting gig as the rock critic for the Denver Post.

In 1983, the family left Denver for Ann Arbor, Mich., where Youngstrom became a sales rep for Harper & Row, then returned to New York to finish his tenure with the newly christened HarperCollins as national account manager. 

He retired in 2006 and moved back to Denver, closing out his book career working at the city's oldest independent bookseller, the Hermitage Bookshop.  

Youngstrom's obituary noted that he loved to learn about the world through traveling, but "one of his favorite places to be was sitting on his couch, sharing a book with his children and, later in his life, his beloved grandchildren." 

Congratulations to Booklovers' Gourmet, Webster, Mass., which is celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout April. Events include customer appreciation days on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, that feature spin-the-wheel raffle prize, a memory tree, complimentary cupcakes and cookies, and a book release party on Saturday for local poet Robert Eugene Perry and his newest title, I Dreamt I Was Water, followed by an open mic. Throughout the month, "The Promise of Spring," photographs by Don McCallister, will be featured in the cafe art gallery.

On Tuesday, April 8, the store will hold an after-hours networking event with the Webster Dudley Business Alliance that will include state and town officials. On Saturday, April 12, Brad Timm, a wildlife biologist passionate about education and conservation, will talk about his new book, Wildlife Out Your Window.

Founded in 1995, Booklovers' Gourmet offers new and used books, greeting cards and gift items, many from local makers and vendors. The shop also has a strong online and social media presence, and collaborates regularly with local schools, libraries, and other organizations. Owner and founder Deb Horan runs the store with help from family and part-time employees.

"I am grateful and fortunate to have such a wonderful, dedicated support team keeping the store in top shape and serving our customers in the best possible way," Horan said. "Whether you are a 'regular' or coming in for the first time, you will always be greeted with a smile and friendly 'Hello!' "

Posted on Instagram by City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, San Francisco, Calif.: "It's a beautiful day in North Beach! Come visit us at our literary meetingplace, at the corner of the Streets of the World and the Avenues of the Mind."

At Sourcebooks:

Aubrey Clemans has joined the company as publicist, Sourcebooks Landmark.

Keri Haddrill has been promoted to associate national account manager.

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At Astra Publishing:

Addie Marin has joined Astra Books for Young Readers as a marketing assistant. Previously, she was a senior intern at Seven Stories Press.

Eugenia Woo has joined DAW Books as the marketing & publicity assistant after having interned at Soho Press and worked as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble.

Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind, illustrated by Kelly Mangan (Cardinal Rule Press).

Today:
Good Morning America: Harlan Coben, author of Nobody's Fool (Grand Central, $30, 9781538756355).

CBS Mornings: Krysten Ritter, author of Retreat: A Novel (Harper, $28.99, 9780063334601).

Fresh Air: Elie Mystal, author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America (The New Press, $26.99, 9781620978580).

Sherri Shepherd Show: Bob the Drag Queen, author of Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert (Gallery Books, $27.99, 9781668061978).

Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Roxane Gay, editor of The Portable Feminist Reader (Penguin Classics, $25, 9780143110392).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Michael Symon, co-author of Symon's Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes That Redefine Outdoor Cooking (Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780593797648).

Also on GMA: Amanda Knox, author of Free: My Search for Meaning (Grand Central, $30, 9781538770719).

Today: Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, authors of I Loved You First (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9780316525299).

Also on Today: Diane Morrisey, author of You Got This!: Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love (Simon Element, $35, 9781668033401).

The View: Tamron Hall, author of Harlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Kid (HarperCollins, $19.99, 9780063244849).

Tamron Hall: Yung Pueblo, author of How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion (Harmony, $27, 9780593582275).

Also on Tamron Hall: Allison Raskin, author of Save the Date: A Novel (Canary Street Press, $18.99, 9781335081322).

Kelly Clarkson Show: Vicky Nguyen, author of Boat Baby: A Memoir (Simon & Schuster, $29.99, 9781668025567).

Apple TV+ has released a trailer for Carême, the new French-language drama series based on the book Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Carême, the First Celebrity Chef by historian and playwright Ian Kelly. Carême premieres globally with the first two episodes on April 30, followed by one episode weekly every Wednesday through June 11 .

Directed by Martin Bourboulon (Les Trois Mousquetaires: D'Artagnan), the project stars Benjamin Voisin (Lost Illusions), Jérémie Renier (My Way), Lyna Khoudri (Papicha), and Alice Da Luz (Hanami). 

Carême is created by Kelly and Davide Serino (The Bad Guy). Executive producers include Vanessa van Zuylen with VVZ Production and Dominique Farrugia with Banijay's Shine Fiction for Apple TV+. The series was shot on location in and around Paris, including Opéra Garnier, Palais des Tuileries, Palais-Royal, and more.

Sergey Radchenko won the C$50,000 (about US$34,895) Lionel Gelber Prize, recognizing "the best nonfiction book published in the English language on the subject of international affairs," for To Run the World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power (Cambridge University Press) .The prize is presented by the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

Jury chair Janice Stein said: "Sergey Radchenko has written a masterpiece. To Run the World made me think differently about the Cold War that took place last century and think differently about what Russia is doing now. Rich in original material, laced with wonderful stories so beautifully told, this is a magisterial history for our times."

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A longlist has been released for the 2025 Griffin Poetry Prize. Judges Nick Laird (Northern Ireland), Anne Michaels (Canada), and Tomasz Różycki (Poland) each read 578 books of poetry, including 47 translations from 20 languages, submitted by 219 publishers from 17 different countries.

The shortlist will be revealed April 23 and a winner named June 4 at the Griffin Poetry Prize Readings in Toronto. The winner receives C$130,000 (about US$90,725), while the other shortlisted authors each get C$10,000 (about US$6,980). Check out this year's longlisted titles here.

LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 April titles public library staff across the country love:

Top Pick
The Sirens: A Novel by Emilia Hart (St. Martin's Press, $29, 9781250280824). "In 1800s Ireland, twin sisters are taken from their father and put on a ship bound for Australia. During the voyage, they begin to change as they hear the call of the sea. In 2019, while Lucy looks for her missing sister, she reads her old diary full of strange stories of the sea. Spanning centuries, this novel casts its magic with the story it weaves." --Jennifer Winberry, LibraryReads Ambassador, N.J.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker (‎Mira, $28.99, 9780778368458). "In the midst of the Covid pandemic of 2020, Cora's haunted by her deceased sister and stalked by a serial killer as her chaotic life spirals further out of control. The journey to finding her way back to some semblance of normal won't be easy. Readers seeking a book blending slasher and bio-horror need look no further." --Jolie Hanlon, Girard Free Library, Ohio

Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (‎Tor Nightfire, $28.99, 9781250884954). "Hiding out due to a political scandal, Halley decides to take a job in the most remote place she can find. That turns out to be a large space barge holding cryogenically frozen wealthy people. The horror begins as Halley starts hearing noises and notices a presence at the foot of her bed. Thrilling and downright scary, this is a must-read." --Terri Smith, Cornelia Library, Ga.

A Drop of Corruption: An Ana and Din Mystery by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey, $30, 9780593723821). "Din and Ana return in a new sci-fi/fantasy mystery. This time an official in the Treasury delegation has gone missing from a locked room. Tense negotiations are ongoing between the Treasury and a small outpost kingdom. What Din and Ana find is a hidden hornet's nest and extreme danger to the Empire. Can the two stop a terrorist from destroying everything?" --Michelle Ogden, Crawfordsville District Public Library, Ind.

Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Rachel Ekstrom Courage (Hyperion Avenue, $16.99, 9781368102988). "Golden Girls plus cozy mystery equals match made in heaven! This novel is nostalgic fun for fans of the TV show and might even draw some new fans in with the atmospheric '80s Miami vibes. The story is over-the-top silly at turns, but it's all part of the fun. Readers will be left hoping the series continues with more mysteries for the ladies to solve." --Elizabeth Motyka, Wheaton Public Library, Ill.

The Correspondent: A Novel by Virginia Evans (Crown, $28, 9780593798430). "Sybil's life has centered around her correspondence with both people she knows and with strangers. Why she finds writing easier than conversing soon becomes clear, and her sadness and remove are explained through the events of her past and in her encroaching blindness. The plot unfolds with wonderful character development." --Mary Robinson, Vernon Area Public Library District, Ill.

I See You've Called in Dead: A Novel by John Kenney (‎Zibby Publishing, $27.99, 9798989923014). "In this sensational novel, Bud gets a new lease on life after he starts visiting wakes and funerals. With equal measures of laughter and tears along the way, this character-driven novel probes the psyche of the contemporary male mind and takes readers in unexpected directions, all leading to a very satisfying conclusion." --Todd Krueger, Baltimore County Public Library, Md.

Any Trope but You: A Novel by Victoria Lavine (‎Atria, $18.99, 9781668079270). "Margot and Forest are genuinely likeable, though flawed characters, and seeing through their perspective is a delight. The conflicts come from practical issues, and the couple is not kept apart by miscommunication, but by respect for each other's priorities and values. A love letter to 'romancelandia' and the tropes it celebrates." --Katrina Dagenais, Bucks County Free Library, Pa.

How to Seal Your Own Fate: A Novel by Kristen Perrin (Dutton, $28, 9780593474044). "This second book in the Castle Knoll series has Annie involved in another mystery of long past and current murders. Annie realizes she's being set up when all of the clues point to her. Readers will love that this book builds so well on the last one, and wonder just how many secrets exist in this small rural town." --Linda Quinn, LibraryReads Ambassador, Conn.

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig (Del Rey, $30, 9780593156568). "Four friends are haunted when another climbs a mysterious staircase and never comes down. Years later, they decide to rescue the boy they lost. What they find is a haunted house preying on their personal nightmares. A coming-of-age story reminiscent of Stranger Things and It--plus all the perfect scary things that Wendig is known for." --Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, Tex.

Seán Hewitt's tender first novel, Open, Heaven, is a queer coming-of-age story that questions the assumed evanescence of teenage infatuation.

In 2022, James Legh, a 30-something librarian separated from his husband, returns to his hometown of Thornmere in the North of England to view a farmhouse for sale. He still thinks about his first love, Luke, whom he met on this farm 20 years ago. James has no intention of buying the property; instead, he has come to try to recapture the past and to commune with those he's lost as he also revisits the local churchyard and pub.

The remainder of the novel unfolds between autumn 2002 and the following summer: a pivotal year for 16-year-old James. His before-school job with a milkman concludes at Hyde's farm. One morning, he meets Hyde's 17-year-old nephew, Luke, who is staying with them while his father is in prison. The boys become friends through farm chores, playing video games, and attending a rugby club dance. But James is uneasy about Luke's form of masculinity: Luke can be rough and takes risks. James knows he mustn't read too much into Luke's casual physical contact with him--he's aware that Luke is interested in his classmate Mia. Yet when Luke proposes a secret camping trip, James lets his romantic fantasies run wild.

The title and epigraph are from William Blake, whose dichotomy of innocence versus experience suits the plot. The old-fashioned canalside village setting--Thornmere is described as "nowhere's junction and no one's destination"--contributes to an aura of timelessness. Indeed, this short, slow-burning work recalls British classics such as L.P. Hartley's The Go-Between (a phrase that appears in the text).

Whether describing teenage emotions or the countryside across the seasons, Hewitt (All Down Darkness Wide) impresses with his lyrical prose. The first-person narrative is redolent of autofiction, alternating between raw and coy. James's struggle with stuttering, and guilt over not being more attentive to his five-year-old brother's seizures, are additional touching elements. It somewhat strains credulity that, two decades later, James still fixates on a would-be teen romance. However, he freely admits the obsession has hindered him: "It was that which had undone... my life with my husband--it was always Luke's promise... of a different life."

This elegiac novel, ideal for readers of Andrés N. Ordorica's How We Named the Stars, posits that first love--even if unrequited--persists. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader and blogger at Bookish Beck

Shelf Talker: Seán Hewitt's lyrical, elegiac novel tenderly unfolds a queer coming-of-age and makes a case for the primacy of first love--even if unrequited, even if lost.