Yesterday started off poorly, ended even worse and the part in the middle did little to make it any better. In an effort to save what little sanity I had left, I went for a drive. I thought about driving to Terra Fuego but decided, instead, to stop at a chain bookstore a few miles from my house.
Now, make no mistake. I fully embrace technology. I love my Mac and my iPhone. I adore my Kindle with a passion that verges on obsession. But, though I rarely buy a paper book anymore, I love bookstores. I love the smell of all those unread pages. I love the soothing quiet and the big leather chairs. The irony is not lost upon me.
I know that it is consumers like me that have contributed to the demise of so many bookstores. I look, I relax, and I enjoy but I don't buy. I browse with no intention of spending a single dollar. In fact, I have been known to spot a good read and go home to purchase the Kindle version.
Why do I do it? I don't have a lot of space for books and I read very quickly. I love all the free digital content. Also, it is easy. I can get what I want, when I want, any time I want.
Like all things though, it comes with a price. The loss of bookstores is tragic. Bookstores have a nostalgia that I would hate to lose. I want my daughter to love reading and books the way I do. Is that possible if bookstores go the way of the dodo? I don't know. But the next time I cross into the land of the bibliophile, I think I will at least buy a cup of coffee. If only to assuage my guilt.
