Best of Boston

The historic town that produced such literary luminaries as Emerson, Alcott, and Thoreau seems destined to have the bookshop. And Concord does. Why go to a depersonalized megastore staffed by teenagers? This adorable gem, nestled in the heart of the tree-lined suburb, has everything a true bibliophile craves, including special sections of poetry, children’s books, and local authors (even mathematicians and scientists remark on the wide selections in their fields). The staff is superfriendly and well informed. If they don’t have it, they’ll get it. There are also loads of author appearances (such as Lady Mary Soames, daughter of Winston Churchill and author of Winston and Clementine).