"As an artist, you are a representative human being—you have to believe that in order to give your life over to that effort to create something of value. You're not doing it only to satisfy your own impulses or needs; there is social imperative. If you solve your problems and speak of them truly, you are of help to others, that's all. And it becomes a moral obligation."— Stanley Kunitz, The Wild Braid, p. 103
4/24/09
Went to Books, Etc today on Exchange Street. Closing their shop today after 37 years in that spot. The children’s section was nearly empty, few books but still many good ones.
Picked up a book about growing houseplants from vegetable scraps and seeds in the kitchen, Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche, and Last Child in the Woods. Picked up some free demo Putomayo CDs. They had food out on the counters.
There was a bit of a party atmosphere, but the guy behind the counter seemed to be tired of the “we’re going to miss you” comments, which is what I said. Downtown, Longfellow Books is the only retail bookstore still standing that sells new books.
Seeing the bookstore routed does something to my insides that cannot quite be described in normal words. The storehouse emptied. The long-term neglect by the purchasing populace in favor of buying at a discount online 24/7. We can’t replace these places.
Places. We’re always talking about web site addresses. If we were to drive there what would we find?
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we would find a big big warehouse with crates and pallets full of stuff. Not very pleasing or romantic as a bookstore.
ReplyDeleteSometimes things have to evolve to survive. Its a shame there wasn't some type of evolution to this book store. I have read about writing places opening up all over new york. Spots where writers can pay a monthly fee to come and write with other writers. This could be a cool evolution for a book store or maybe even convert it to some kind of diner or social club. Who knows.
Disney recently bought Marvel Comics. To me, an avid reader of those comics as a boy, I felt a bit of a death to my child hood heroes as I hope Disney will not Disneyfy them....But I guess in this world it was a way for Marvel to keep going. Eventually all the small little companies will either disappear or be bought buy the big giant machines. When I read the grapes of wrath I saw how even in those times a Big Corporation was slowly swallowing up the little man.
Then there are also the server farms. And you're right--this is how things are evolving. And many small or independent businesses have adapted and made the internet work in their favor, some enormously so.
ReplyDeletePart of last year was taking a moment (what's a year anymore, really, if you really want to do something?) to really notice and observe and mourn the loss of institutions such as independent bookstores and newspapers. Things are changing so rapidly that it is hard to grasp where it's all going. Even if it's the way things are going, and even if there are many wonderful things about these changes.
It's great to hear about the proliferation of writers' havens.
Who knows where this is all going?