If books didn't matter, nobody would try to ban them.

In a nation struggling to cope with polarization, disinformation, acrimony, the power of books-to inform, enlighten, and inspire-is more important than ever. To honor Joyce Meskis, the legendary bookseller who founded Denver's Tattered Cover and became a champion of First Amendment freedoms, a team including some of today's leading publishers, booksellers, authors, and free speech activists offers reflections on the vital role of books in our nation's cultural, civic, social, and economic life.

Contributors include U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, publishers David R. Godine and Jack Jenson, free speech advocates Chris Finan and Steve Zansberg, and booksellers Richard Howorth, Clara Villarosa, Chuck Robinson, and Betsy Burton. All proceeds will be donated to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom.