Beautiful Women in Bookstores: Ashley

Beautiful Women in Bookstores is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a celebration of reading, intelligence, independent bookstores, and of course, beautiful women. In a time when bookstores seem to be disappearing this is our effort to show how sexy books and reading really are. Each installment will have a different beautiful woman photographed in an independent bookstore and interviewed about what it is that makes reading so damn important.

If you’re interested in doing shooting your own pics for BWB and having us publish it, hit up alex@brokeassstuart.com

All photos by the incredible Victoria Smith

Our first Bookstore is Dog Eared Books and our first beautiful women is Ashley Lauren Dickinson. Check out her funny video Don’t Be a Bastard in a Bookstore.

Name: Ashley Lauren Dickinson

What are you reading right now?: The Small Backs of Children by Lidia Yuknavitch and Whores in History by Nickie Roberts.

Who are your favorite authors?: Charles Bukowski, Chuck Palahniuk, Jodi Picoult, Sylvia Plath, David Sedaris. And of course, Broke-Ass Stuart 😉

Occupation: On camera host and creator of Kinda Kind with Ashley Lauren. A media brand devoted to making kindness badass. The site is pretty awesome but make sure to follow on the Facebook page since I post extra goodies there.

Where are you from?: Michigan. More specifically, Northville, which is between Detroit and Ann Arbor. When looking at your hand, I’m from the meaty part of the thumb. Then I lived in Chicago for 8 years before moving to SF.

Where is your favorite place to read?: I enjoy reading in the middle of chaos. Whether that’s in a plane, public transit, or the airport. I love putting on my headphones and diving into a book in my own little oasis of a bubble.

Do you have a favorite bookstore?: Not a favorite, per se, but during the first time I visited SF to spend time with and get to know Stuart, he took me to City Lights and bought me Just Kids. That memory, that time in my life, and that book are all things that really left an impact on me. Therefore I carry a little torch for City Lights.

What’s the last book that really moved you?: Since I’m already on the topic of Just Kids, it feels wildly appropriate to list it here. It’s written whimsically; every sentence reads like a lyric from a song or a nursery rhyme packed with depth. The book is gut wrenchingly beautiful, and inspired me to continue taking risks, follow my passion and love deeply.

Who are some women who inspire you?: My mother and sister both constantly do things that both inspire and amaze me. Any woman who takes risks and makes sacrifices for the betterment of others is extremely badass and inspirational: Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Gloria Steinem.

Who is your favorite literary character?: The Giver. I first read The Giver in sixth grade and remember feeling like I instantly understood the book and related heavily to this character, and probably far more deeply than my peers. I have always felt the need to know, even the painful truths, for the sake of knowing and then educating. If a shitty reality, truth or story goes unheard, it’s unknown and voiceless. And that breaks my heart. Ignorance may be bliss, but it can also be so cruel. The truths and realities, which others shy from, I’ve always felt I must take on and know. The book and this character helped me realize my purpose is to figure out a way to give the information  to others in a way that’s easily digestible. Just as The Giver did by giving Jonas happy memories, at his own expense, in order to also help him take on the burden of truth and reality. Truth with a spoon full of sugar and snark is my usual approach.

Which book have you read the most times?: As a child: Rain Makes Applesauce. As an adult: My Sister’s Keeper and The Giver.

Is there anything sexy about good writing?: Word play is the best foreplay. Also, if you can write, there’s a great chance you’re intelligent. And what’s not sexy about that? Answer: nothing.

Beautiful bibliophiles wanted: Do you have a favorite bookstore? Do you know a beautiful woman who loves to read?  Do your own shoot and send it in! We’d like to put it up on www.brokeassstuart.com.  Send inquiries to alex@brokeassstuart.com