New York Magazine
August 1, 2010

A feature on the resurgence of independent bookstores in New York describes Idlewild as “catnip for the peripatetic reader, who might find an Audubon guide to African wildlife sharing shelf space with Edith Wharton’s In Morocco.”

The New Yorker
May 31, 2010

Patricia Marx writes that “Idlewild Books, a shop specializing in travel and international literature, is a treat, even if the only expedition you plan to take is up the stairs to this mezzanine-level shop.” The feature article about graduation gifts goes on to say, “a nifty gift for anyone going on a pre-adulthood trip is a ‘destination kit’ – a selection of fiction, nonfiction, and guidebooks tailored to the recipient’s interests, reading preferences, and travel style.”

Everett Potter’s Travel Report
March 15, 2010

Travel guru and syndicated columnist Everett Potter interviews owner David Del Vecchio and says, “Idlewild Books is probably the best travel bookshop I’ve ever had the luck to visit.”

The Huffington Post
February 17, 2010

Owner David Del Vecchio contributes a column about literature in translation.

Publishing Perspectives
January 18, 2010

Idlewild’s book buyer, Lewis Manalo, launches a new monthly column on renowned international authors whose books are unavailable in the United States.

Los Angeles Times
October 30, 2009

Terri Colby, in a literary tour of Manhattan, names Idlewild her “favorite Manhattan bookstore” because the store “shares [her] passion for combining literature and travel.”

NY1  - Travel with Val
July 19, 2009

Valarie D’Elia invites viewers of her popular TV feature “Travel with Val” to “travel the world without leaving your beach chair” with five summer reading picks in a segment filmed at Idlewild Books.

USA Today
May 19, 2009

AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz writes about Idlewild’s personalized customer service, including its popular Destination Kits, “a selection of books [on a particular country or city] tailored to individuals.”

Bookslut
November 2008

Gili Warsett interviews Idlewild owner David Del Vecchio about the store’s founding, the American market for literature in translation, and his favorite novels about New York City.

New York Magazine
December 14, 2008

The Strategist feature “Ask a Shop Clerk” profiles store owner David Del Vecchio, who answers questions about his previous career and favorite travel books.

The New Yorker
November 24, 2008

In a Book Bench profile, Vicky Raab writes that “Idlewild could be considered the Murray’s Cheese of bookstores. Catering to the taste of literary travellers, books are organized by country, with guidebooks, nonfiction, and fiction served together, the way they should be, like cheese and crackers.” She goes on to describe the store’s whimsical book recommendations and customized gift packs, and concludes by raving about our “frequent book parties that pair readings with appropriate alcoholic beverages and cultural stimulants.”

The New York Times
October 5, 2008

A profile in the Sunday Travel section describes the store, where “in a cozy mezzanine-level space, the classic travel texts of guidebooks, maps and phrasebooks are grouped with literary fiction, memoirs and spy thrillers – books that, at first glance, might not be what the average traveler would think about packing in her suitcase. But as you thumb your way through the shelves, a certain logic begins to emerge. In the India section, “A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth shares space with “A Passage to India” by E.M. Forster, “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, and “The Complete Illustrated Kama Sutra.”

Travel + Leisure
October 2008

Ed Navotka describes Idlewild as “an oasis for travelers” and asks owner David Del Vecchio to name five of his favorite travel-oriented titles.

New York Magazine
September 2008

Idlewild is named a “Critics’ Pick” in the magazine’s online shopping directory. Lauren Murrow describes the space (a “spacious second-floor shop in the elegant former parlor floor of an elegant 1880s-era home”), furnishings (“the chairs are salvaged from the old American Airlines international terminal, as is the slab of stained glass behind the register”), and selection, and explains the store’s name (“the pre-1963 moniker of JFK Airport.”)

Manhattan Users Guide (MUG)
August 7, 2008

The daily e-newsletter for NYC insiders notes the opening of Idlewild in its weekly Up Next section. (In an event listing a couple months later, MUG calls us its “favorite new bookstore.”)

The New York Sun
August 4, 2008

Marisa Kabas describes the just-opened store and interviews David Del Vecchio about how travelers are adjusting to the tough economy.

Time Out Magazine
July 2008

The NYC listings bible features Idlewild in its Seek section and names it a Critics’ Pick.

World Hum
July 24, 2008

Kelly Amabile interviews owner David Del Vecchio about his career with the United Nations and the founding of the store.