Happy Meet a Bookseller Monday! Today we’re excited to introduce bookstore owner and bookseller Ursla Lanphear of M & M Bookstore in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
How did you get into bookselling?
My husband and I purchased a new and used bookstore in 2017.
What do you love most about being a bookseller?
Being a bookseller has opened my mind to so many different things. Our customers have recommended books that I never would have chosen on my own, and it is so much fun to share these books with other readers. I love helping people choose books that will open their minds, get them to see another point of view, or just find a book they can just lose themselves in.
What do you love most about your bookstore?
I love our customers! I enjoy hearing their stories and sharing our lives especially through books. The people I have met in our store are so incredible, and I love how our customers and staff come together to do things for our community and the store.
What are you listening to right now?
I just finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins and Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. I just started listening to The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams.
What audiobooks would you recommend or are among your favorites?
My very favorite audiobook is The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I loved the narrator–he brought the book to life for me. My recent favorite is Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. I really enjoyed the casual narration, she was perfect for the tone of the book. I loved it! I would also recommend any audiobooks by Beatriz Williams and Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell.
Where / when do you listen to audiobooks?
I listen to audiobooks all the time! I listen in my car on my 45 minute commute, I listen while doing chores, and I listen while the rest of my family is watching television. My husband has really fallen in love with audiobooks as well, and we very rarely see him without headphones in his ears these days listening to a book!
What is your favorite thing about audiobooks through Libro.fm?
I love the variety of books, and I like that we get to keep the books we purchase. I also like that I can share my books with my children and we listen to many books together.
What do you do when you’re not selling books?
Spending time with my family. I have 5 children ages 12-29, and we have a grandson on the way. I love to hang out with them and just enjoy our time together.