Enoch Marchant, co-owner of Nice Price Books & Records on Hillsborough Street, recommends Southern fiction, biographies and sports reads.
by Ayn-Monique Klahre

A lifelong Raleighite and lifelong reader, Marchant’s interests expanded as an undergrad at East Carolina University. He began working at Nice Price in 2003, and he and fellow co-owner Brian Shaw bought the store in 2013.

What kinds of books do you gravitate toward, generally?

Lots of “human” fiction, Southern fiction as well. Biographies/history. Boxing. Baseball. I tend to rotate in that order.

What book are you reading right now?

Short answer: Exit Ghost by Philip Roth. Long answer, Exit Ghost by Philip Roth, because I have decided to read every Philip Roth book in order. Only five more to go…

What is the best light read you’ve enjoyed recently?

For fiction my go-to has long been Harlan Coben. Extremely plot driven, lots of twists, good for reading on the literal beach, because you can look up, mid-sentence, to check on the kids or whatever and go back to the page undisturbed. For something in between pure beach read, and heavy stuff, Patricia Highsmith. She allows you to sit around thinking and feeling evil and vengeful, even while getting a tan. Start with the Ripley series and go from there. For non-fiction I tend to focus on faster paced crime/popular history. Erik Larson, Ben Macintyre, etc. 

What’s the best heavier book you’ve read recently?

Well, I’ve saddled myself with this Philip Roth project, his work The Human Stain was great in ways I didn’t expect. No heroes, just several extremely interesting, real characters. Then about halfway in, an entirely new angle is introduced. 

What is a classic/older book that you either always recommend, or have read many times?

For fiction, The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry. He was an American genius. For non-fiction and a more “classic” choice, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It is as good and influential as everyone says and an incredible book. The movie adaptation is amazing as well.

What is a book by a Raleigh or North Carolina author that you’d recommend?

I would demand people to read Ashleigh Bryant Phillips. Her debut short story collection Sleepovers blew me away, and I can’t wait for whatever she writes next. As for a “beach read,” I’d recommend David Sedaris. You could end up reading about the very beach you are sitting on. 

Visit Nice Price Books & Records at 3106 Hillsborough St. or online at nicepriceboo.com.

This article first appeared in the August 2026 issue of WALTER Magazine.