We have three traditions when we drive through Bishop on the way home from Mammoth ? we stock up on jerky at Mahogany Smoked Meats and Beef Jerky; we eat lunch at La Casita Mexican Restaurant; and, we end with a trip to Spellbinder Books and Coffee. Spellbinder is a storefront in the center of Main Street, in the very heart of the community. This is my favorite part of the trip to Mammoth.\r
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The store has a significant collection of western and titles. I picked up a book of letters from women crossing the continent in covered wagons and read it to my daughter when she was learning about the West at school. The staff is incredibly friendly; they do a terrific job chatting up my husband, allowing me to browse to my heart?s content. \r
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It has a large bookshelf for books loved by the staff, though sometimes turnover on these shelves is slow. I bought William Boyd?s Any Human Heart several years ago; now it is falling apart from use, but the next winter when I returned to Spellbinders, it was still sitting on the recommendation bookshelf. Now I know some years are better than others in publishing, but I?ve never experienced a year when I couldn?t recommend a different book after twelve months. Someone at the store truly loves Any Human Heart. Now every time we go, I tell the kids to look for Any Human Heart on the recommendation shelf.\r
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