The Atlantic's December 1 issue features at article by Ann Patchett on her new independent book store Parnassus Books in Nashville and more generally on the resurgence of interest in independent book stores. We have lived through a period of consolidation when many book stores merged, consolidated, and then there was a severe pruning of the survivors, most notably of Borders, a large chain that left many, many customers in the lurch with options being principally Barnes & Noble for a physical presence or Amazon on the web.
Patchett is a writer who has published nine books, seven of them novels, and she took on this challenge of starting Paraussus Books with her partner Karen Hayes. I don't want to summarize or pre-empt the article. Read it in The Atlantic in Patchett's article that is enjoyable and encouraging.
What encourages me is the idea that there may in fact be a resurgence of interest in the reading public in out local communities to get back the independent book store, a place to spend quality time, to listen to readings and get authors' autographs, to expose our children to books again, to pass a few quiet hours away from the rush of modern life, and to instill hope that e-books may not be the only and inevitable option for the reader. That would make me very happy.
I hope a lot of people read this article in The Atlantic that some of them might be inspired to take up the challenge and open up independent book stores in their own communities. It's a worthy cause for a community of readers to take up and I would like to do my part to encourage it. Pass the word along and find out more about Parnassus Books in Nashville. Maybe you can do something similar in your own community. Spread the word.
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