A
friend of my sister had a book published a few years ago that featured
photographs of Jewish synagogues that had been converted into churches. I thought it was an interesting endeavor, to
capture a piece of lost history through art.
I recently came across another photography book that uniquely captures a piece of
lost culture, a book of photos that depicts the decay and rot of abandoned,
boarded buildings that used to be lively hotels and bungalows, in an area
fondly known as The Catskills. It was
nicknamed the Borscht Belt because it serviced mainly a Jewish clientele,
filled with famous entertainers who had their hey day in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s
and 80’s. Both books make me wonder if
such a book will be done to highlight the spaces of former bookstores.
I
have a poor sense of direction but I know where every bookstore is – and I
recall where bookstores used to be.
There was a Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Center, gone, in the Village,
gone, by my office in midtown, gone.
There was a Borders near my house, and a few blocks from my office, both
gone. There are others, but I don’t want
to fill a small phonebook up. Some of
these spaces remain empty, even years after the bookstore left. It’s hard to believe that these cultural
centers can close down and then nothing even comes in to replace them.
I
can picture the book about shuttered bookstores. It would show photos of when the store
flourished and then the images of empty, abandoned shelves. Other photos would show what fills those
spaces today.
Would
such a book make us sad – or would it make us feel like we were honoring the
past? Could we be hopeful that a new
bookstore renaissance can come in the near future?
Bookstores,
to me, are holy sites, on par with churches, temples, and mosques. This is where learning takes place, where
young minds are shaped, where people are influenced and inspired, and where
readers meet writers. Bookstores help
promote the written word and give citizens a place to gather in support of
books. When a bookstore closes, I shed a tear and feel like a piece of me was
extracted or damaged.
Maybe
the best way to honor and promote bookstores is to discover the ones that exist
today. When I typed the phrase “best bookstores” into Google, I was pleased to
see a ton of entries. Gothamist ranked
the best indies in NYC. Time Out listed them too. Huffington
Post, Buzzfeed, and many others had terrific pieces that highlighted some
real jewels – Strand in NYC, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Faulkner House
Books in New Orleans, Dog Earred Books in SF, The Last Bookstore in LA,
Politics & Prose in DC, Powell’s in Portland, Oregon, and Tattered Cover
Bookstore in Denver.
I
have heard about a book that celebrates bookstores, but haven’t read yet – Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores by Bo Eckstein. It highlights over 100 stores and several
hundred stories.
BBC.com
posted a story a few years ago about 10 of the world’s most beautiful
bookshops, which included Polare in Maastricht, El Atenes in Beunos Aires, El Pendulo in Mexico City, and
Shakespeare & Co. in Paris. They are
some glorious-looking places!
Would
it be haunting to have a photography book focus on what remains physically of
the places that used to nourish minds and civilize the masses? Do we want to highlight what used to be but
no longer are?
The
obituary of the bookstore is being written by some, but hopefully it never gets
completed. But the obituary for specific
bookstores would be a means to honor our rich biblio history and to perhaps
make readers long for a return of some of these amazing bookstores.
Please
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