Iowa City and Dublin: World-class Cities of Literature
One brisk autumn morning, my daughter and I happened upon a rundown apothecary-looking bookshop in Dublin, Ireland. Slipping through weathered French doors, I was met by a woman smiling at me over readers as she thrust an opened copy of James Joyce’s "Ulysses" into my hands. The tiny shop was crammed with people each holding a book and following along as a gentleman read aloud.
Such is the type of experience one might discover visiting UNESCO Cities of Literature. Iowa City was the third city on the planet to earn the distinction in 2008; Dublin was the fourth. There are now 39 such designated cities around the world.