When I read David Ishii's obituary in the Seattle Times this morning, I knew I should Slog about it, but I didn't know what to say. I still don't. If you never visited his bookshop in Pioneer Square, you really missed out. It was a glorious mess, a pile of books with a roof, and your only hope at finding any order in the chaos was David, who, thankfully, was always right there and eager to help you.

Working at Elliott Bay Book Company, one of my favorite sights was David's fisherman's hat coming through the door. He was always polite, and kind, and he usually said very little. But when he did talk, you realized that he knew more—about books, about Pioneer Square, about Seattle, about things that matter—than you ever would. And you were glad to know him.

He was a great bookseller. He was one of the world's best booksellers, and I will miss him, and so will many others.