"On a recent trip toD.C., I carved out an afternoon forSecond Story Books, which I’d heard had a fascinating collection of used, rare, and out-of-print books. How can you not want to visit a store run by the guy (Allan Stypeck) who not only repairs books but also loans books for movie sets and helps institutions like the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress build their collections? The Dupont Circle store, one of two locations, lived up to the hype: It took real effort to keep my book-hoarding instincts in check as I explored the maze-like store and hit up the sidewalk-sale shelves, which offer serious deals on the weekends."