In the bleak midwinter, it can be tricky to maintain one’s sanity and whimsy. As temperatures stay near freezing and snow still coats much of campus, staying indoors feels compulsory rather than cozy. Yet, settling down with a good book is my way of turning a night stuck inside into a lovely evening.
If you are in need of a new book without breaking the budget, I recommend Rodney’s Bookstore in Harvard Square. This used bookstore is only a brief walk down the winding streets from the Red Line station. The store is tucked in a quieter part of the square, providing a respite from the tourists and tour groups that crowd the streets closer to Harvard Yard. The entrance is unassuming, but the large windows offer a clear view of the rows and stacks of books that confirm you are in the right place.
Inside, Rodney’s strikes the perfect balance between crowded and organized. As you walk in, on the left is a window display with books stacked three layers high on a table. If you enjoy digging for treasures, it can be fun to sort through these piles, hunting for what’s hidden beneath the top layer. The rest of the stock lines bookshelves that fill the store, prompting frequent “excuse me”s and “sorry”s as customers maneuver around.
The store is fairly evenly split between nonfiction and fiction, with shelves dedicated to fantasy and science fiction, gardening, classics, history and more. There is also a substantial poetry selection and a small birding section tucked under the windows. If the $7 to $15 price range for books is more than you want to spend, there is a cart of $5 books and a shelf of 94-cent books. Although small, the store is dense — with its variety of titles and constantly changing selections, I could easily spend over an hour browsing its literary gems.
If you are looking for a specific title or a new bestseller, one of the other bookstores in Harvard Square might be a better fit. With its brown tones and wooden shelves, Rodney’s ambiance evokes a classic used bookstore. You never know what you will find, and that is exactly what makes Rodney’s the perfect place to hide from the cold and find a new, unexpected read to keep you company as we tuck ourselves inside until the snow melts.
I left with a copy of Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” my favorite from my required high school reading list. I had been hoping to revisit it, and maybe it will tide me over until spring.
