Kamala Harris Made a Surprise Visit to an Independent Book Store in Rhode Island

Melissa Goldberg
·2 min read
Kamala Harris Made a Surprise Visit to an Independent Book Store in Rhode Island

On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Rhode Island, where she and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will meet with business owners and local entrepreneurs to discuss the Biden administration's plan to provide ongoing relief and support for small businesses.

But before the pair got to work, they made a quick—yet very important—stop at Books on the Square, a nearly 30-year-old independent bookstore in Providence's Wayland Square. "This is my neighborhood book store," Raimondo, who is also the state's former governor, said as they entered the store. "Best place ever."

While inside, the vice president spoke with the store's staff and customers, including one very lucky baby. But the bestselling author and devoted bookworm couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase a few things she'd "been wanting to read," which she pulled out of her shopping bag and shared with members of the press pool as she left the store. Her selections included The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ("Do you guys know this one?" she asked. "Amazing"), The Topeka School by Ben Lerner, and The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

In addition to the three novels, the VP, who has been very open about her love of cooking (remember when she schooled her then-colleague Sen. Mark R. Warner on how to properly make a tuna melt?), also picked up Julia Turshen's latest cookbook, Simply Julia. "I thought it was Julia Child," Harris admitted. "But it's healthy comfort food!"

Earlier in the morning, the local bookstore had invited Harris to come by the popular spot, posting a picture of their Kamala Harris display, along with the following message on Facebook: "Welcome to Little Rhody, VP Kamala Harris! We know you're busy, but stop by if you have a minute."

Little did they know, the store had already been on the vice president's team's radar—who called thirty minutes before the visit to say that Harris would indeed be stopping by, according to Providence Daily Dose. "It's the highlight of the store's existence," manager Jennifer Kandarian told NBC 10 News. "You can always hope that someone will come in for a visit, but you don't want to get your expectations up, so it was very exciting."

Wondering how Harris is going to read three books—while also meeting with world leaders, encouraging more Americans to get vaccinated, and leading the efforts to get President Biden's $2 trillion American Jobs Plan passed? Honestly, we're not sure either. But according to the VP, "I'm going to find the time!"

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