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Every week, The Thread checks in with booksellers around the country about their favorite books of the moment. This week, we spoke with Cynthia Justus, one of the owners of 

Talk Story Bookstore, on the island of Kauai, is the westernmost bookstore in the entire United States. Run by Cynthia Justus and her husband Ed, the shop serves both locals and the constant crowd of tourists flocking to the island.

With so many tourists in the shop, the booksellers end up recommending titles to people from all over the world. Many people write back — weeks or months later — to tell them what they thought of the books.

One book that Justus has been recommending for more than a decade is Carlos Ruiz Zafon's "The Shadow of the Wind." She's turned dozens of people onto it. 

Originally written in Spanish, the translation is beautiful, Justus said. The novel is set in Barcelona, in 1945. 

"Without any spoilers, the book starts out with a young man who comes of age. As a gift, his father takes him to this vast, underground library. In the library, there's only one book by each author," Justus explained. 

After many hours of exploring the shelves, the young man finally picks a book. He takes it home and begins to read.

 find another book by the same author, and that's where the tale begins."

Justus said she loves recommending it because it has everything a great novel should: It has "a bit of adventure, a bit of mystery, the tiniest bit of romantic interest in it — and you go on a journey." 

Arts and Culture

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

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Tracy Mumford

Author

Cynthia Justus owns the westernmost bookstore in the entire United States, in Kauai, Hawaii. There's one book she's been recommending to readers for almost a decade.

Bookstore owner Cynthia Justus has been recommending the same novel for nearly a decade -- it's that good.

An underground library and the perfect mystery

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