Long a hub for literary bohemians, countercultural musicians, and readers interested in a good browse, Kepler s Books and Magazines is one of the most influential independent bookstores in American history. When owner Roy Kepler opened the San Francisco Bay Area store in 1955, he led the way as a pioneer in the "paperback revolution." He popularized the once radical idea of selling affordable books in an intellectually bracing coffeehouse atmosphere.

Paperback selling was not the only revolution Kepler supported, however. In Radical Chapters, Doyle sheds light on Kepler s remarkable...