Best of Boston

Brookline Booksmith is dedicated to the art of browsing. This cozy store allows book lovers to curl up on the wood floor and thumb through their favorite tomes. Friendly staffers are eager to make suggestions—unlike the aloof or harried help you find in some of the superchains. Booksmith’s Writer and Readers series brings the community face-to-face with authors, who’ve included Grace Paley, Alice Hoffman, and other literary luminaries. The store also encourages bibliophiles to get their noses out of their books and support local charities.