It is not an exaggeration to say that books are the foundation of society. Books, stories, words, poems, and myths provide the soil from which culture grows. That being the case, does our local community need a better bookstore?
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Pageturners, a local bookstore in Indianola, recently announced they will be moving to the former location of Pamela’s Place. Pageturners may be the only privately owned bookstore in Warren County.
However, Pageturners, owned by Kathy Macgruber, is noted for its support of anti-conservative causes. The store heavily features books promoting the LGBTQ+ agenda as well as other woke and progressive ideologies.
The store also promotes the false “book ban” narrative which compares the removal of obscene material from schools with the suppression tactics of totalitarian regimes.
In September of last year, Pageturners hosted a “Banned Book Storytime” event that perpetuated that narrative. Steve Kerby noted that “the focus of ‘Banned Book Storytime’ was on promoting an LGBTQ+ agenda to children. By the way, did you know that the 1930’s classic about the gentle Spanish bull, The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, ‘has been a go-to for teachers and parents looking for LGBT-friendly kids lit?’”
Warren County still has many fine libraries. But these government institutions seem to always be susceptible to statist and progressive notions.
Does Warren County need a conservative-friendly bookstore? Would a bookstore that simply provides wholesome, quality books that promote traditional values be a strategic investment for local conservatives?
Whether or not such a bookstore appears remains to be seen. In the meantime, we must do our best to promote quality, traditional literature and stories in our communities.
Joshua Stilwell is the editor-in-chief of Warren’s Voice, the associate pastor of Alathea Baptist Church in Des Moines (the Warren County side), and a self-diagnosed bibliophile. He lives with his family in Indianola where they can regularly be seen reading books.
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