The first time I went to Boston was in 1989, for the Worldcon that year.
I clearly remember walking down Newbury Street and visiting a funky little mystery bookstore (and I remember Lawrence’s annoyance at me for purchasing mystery novels when we were attending a SF convention). I also remember walking into Avenue Victor Hugo Books and feeling like I was home. And I remember going up to the front counter and reading their mission statement for the first time. I don’t mind saying that it made me choke up a little bit.
Whenever I made it up to Boston after that (and I was lucky: I got up there several more times) I always visited Avenue Victor Hugo, mostly so I could pay homage to that mission statement. If they had made it available as a poster, I would have bought one and hung it in a prominent place in my home.
Sadly, they closed in 2004. I’ve tried in the intervening years to find the text of their mission statement, but didn’t have any luck until this weekend. Somehow, either I put in just the right combination of search terms for Google, or it indexed a previously un-indexed page, or something.
Anyway. Hattip on this to Confessions of a Mad Librarian.
This small outpost of civilization exists because a few people still believe in the essential freedoms guarded by the first amendment to the United States Constitution. Some people believe that government should define for us what we should be able to say, write, or read. Most people think there should be limits to such rights, but are unclear on who should have the power to dictate those limits. Most of our rights have already been traded away by those who prefer the safety of government control to the anarchy of individual freedom. Very few people understand the Faustian bargain they have made. This shop is dedicated to those who have rejected the bargain. It is open to those who might reconsider.