Barnes and Noble decided to try something new for this year’s National Read-A-Book Day, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY.

Rather than placing books by local writers in the windows of its Center City store, Barnes and Noble Center City manager Lynn Rosen instead asked two dozen local authors to silent read one of their favorite books inside the store.

“It was a tough sell to my staff,” said Rosen. “They thought I was crazy. We’ll leave that question unanswered as to whether I am or not.”

The writers themselves liked the idea. Each came down to the store, sat in the leather chair in the window display outfitted with a side table and lamp, and silently read one of their favorite books.

The authors who took part in the live display included Lorene Carey, Jason Rekuluk, M.L. Rio, and Jamie Brenner, among others. Each read for about 15 minutes and swapped out for the next writer’s time slot. The process took nearly seven hours.

“Every writer is a reader first,” Brenner said. “This is showing everyone what our first love is, which is sitting with a book.”

Read more about the cool live display at Barnes and Noble in WHYY.

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