You can buy any book you are looking for on the internet. But we need physical, independent bookshops because that is where you discover the books you were not looking for, and never knew you needed.
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Absolute fact 📚
You'll only get smarter & more informed in things you never knew or experienced especially the joy of reading & exploring the world outside of your own.
The issue of the bookshops is that they're easy soft targets for the Maga banning book movement.
Physical bookshops are critical 👍
Slightly disagree, libraries are where I find books that I didn't know I was looking for. Independent book stores are where I go to buy those books and leave with ones I never knew I needed.
I don't have any independent and/or used book stores in my area, but a few of the libraries I can get to easily have book sale corners which I love. I'm also going to be checking and raiding my closest B&N over the next month or so as they run their closing sale.
Too bad used bookstores are like having a buried treasure map that leads to the island, but the X has been erased. It's not the treasure that's important at that point but the search you never know what you'll find.
Also, what you find can, on rare occasions, can lead you to places you never knew existed. I long ago found a book called the anarchist cook book, I was reading it in public and found out about a bookstore that at the time was only findable by word of mouth. Interesting place.
Lucky that I was a pacifist by nature because books gotten from there really shouldn't be in the hands of teens. I was sad when they closed and the old guy retired.
This place was a plain looking building, no sign what they did when I learned about it. The people who knew would knock on the door ask for an order form or push money and filled form through mail slot wait an get books. Later, it went more legit. The name was National Loomponics
For sure. I've lucked out in that regard with some of my finds. I know about that cookbook and can tell you as a professional it can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. At least, it could several years ago.
Use and support your public libraries while they are still available. They also have online books and other materials you can borrow without leaving home.
Yes! I love our local used bookstore. It's a sprawling monstrosity of topics and ideas I would never have gone searching for online. It reminds me of things that I never see online due to algorithms or news cycles too 💕
Absolutely. Serendipity is lost in the modern world. When you only find exactly what you're looking for, you learn nothing of value. Nothing that changes your mind or expands your awareness.
"You can buy any book you're looking for on the internet. But we need physical independent bookshops. That's where you discover books you weren't looking for or never knew you needed."
Not 'every' book is easily available, or to purchase, online. But agree physical independent bookshops are a must.
Comments
You'll only get smarter & more informed in things you never knew or experienced especially the joy of reading & exploring the world outside of your own.
The issue of the bookshops is that they're easy soft targets for the Maga banning book movement.
Physical bookshops are critical 👍
The internet is OK for the books you want, but bookshops are vital for the books you didn't know you need.
Not 'every' book is easily available, or to purchase, online. But agree physical independent bookshops are a must.