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Of the Bookness of Books
An essay about my relationship with books
I went to see D. W. Young’s documentary about New York’s rare book dealers and collectors, The Booksellers, at the movies last night. After several months of COVID-19 restrictions, the mere experience of meeting a friend for dinner and a movie was exciting enough. The Booksellers did not disappoint, however; it was an entertaining and thought-provoking insight into the world of the book as a collectible object. It left me pondering my relationship with books.
Where do you buy books from? Do you primarily buy online to get the best price? Are you buying ebooks to read on a device, or are you buying physical books? If you visit a physical book store, are you a browser or do you go in with a title in mind? It goes without saying that the internet has changed the way many of us shop, whether that be for groceries, clothing, or books. A generation ago, book stores abounded. Now they must compete with the internet and for many small, independent book stores, the competition is too great. Even some of the big chain stores need to fight to stay afloat. I admit that I have and sometimes still do buy books online, particularly if I am after something specific. And for those of us who do not have unlimited funds for book buying, the internet is an attractive option. (Unlike some of the collectors featured in The…
