Best of Boston

Their fiction inventory is faultless; their nonfiction, superb. But it’s Brookline Booksmith’s book cellar that again propels this independent store to the top of the pile. If you’re going to browse, be sure you’ve got a whole afternoon to spar—it’s easy to lose track of time while scanning the shelves. The shop’s reading series is also second to none, often hosting marquee authors such as David Sedaris and Jonathan Safran Foer.