In Praise of Bookstores

Our city lost its Borders even before the whole chain went under. That was a sad day. We used to go there for coffee-table-sized art books and Science Fair prizes and birthday presents (mostly hockey-related) and for the coffee (of course). I just love books, newspapers, and printed WORDS more than the average person, which is partly why I homeschool. So we have kept up our long-standing relationship with the librarians and enjoy hunting down bookshops when we are out of town. I have much the same thoughts as the owner of Eighth Day Books expressed in this Catholic Exchange article: “I nurture the hope that our nature as human beings cries out for the physicality of the printed book, and the almost endless and surprising variety a bookstore uniquely offers. Without wishing to offend anyone, I believe digital books are a Gnosticizing technology, by contrast with real books sterile and ephemeral, offering only convenience and novelty in exchange for the more subtle and enduring genius and delightful corporeality of the codex…I have no Plan B. I’ll keep doing this, as much as it depends on me, until by last breath.”