Fewer books

February 7, 2012
Barnes & Noble, Tampa

I must admit to a sense of relief when I walk into a large bookstore, relief that some bookstores still exist.

Some don’t. Until last year, there was a Borders bookstore next to this Barnes & Noble in Tampa. Gone.

Look carefully at the photo above from the Biography/Memoir section of Barnes & Noble. Does it look any different to you? It does to me.

In the past, shelves would be crowded with books, side by side by side. We’d never see the wood background to the shelf. Today, the shelves look sparsely populated.

And there used to be so many books they’d reach right to the edge of the shelf. Today, only a few copies of each title.

I do love my first generation Kindle. It’s a great way to read, as long as there are no illustrations or photos. But there’s nothing like seeing a beautifully designed book cover and being able to flip the pages and browse for a few minutes. Nothing like looking at an array of books on a series of bookshelves and choosing those that strike your fancy.

{Worried face.}

And now, more rumors that Amazon will open stores. Now that their business model has destroyed so many independents and even a big chain, they’re going to open their own stores?

In general, I’m a fan of change. But some change is hard to swallow.

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Here you’ll find my blog, some of my essays, published writing, and my solo performances. There’s also a link to my Etsy shop for healing and grief tools offered through A Healing Spirit.

 

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