At the age of 21 I own around 250 books to say the least. My family and friends also own a fair number of books, but we are apparently living in more of a primitive world than our friends from the States or even our European colleagues, the British.
During the twentieth century the industry of books, or rather the industry of commercial books, made the very old book become part of an exciting experience. Most of us have had the pleasure of experiencing the Big Bookshop Experience. To the Spanish audience, I should probably explain.
It is not only on tv where people get into humongous bookshops, similar to those modest shopping centers of only 4 or 5 floors, and wish to lose identity to gain the imperturbable blank face of that person following the mass flow. It is certainly one of the most appealing places to go to for a person coming from a small city like me, but it is just one of the ‘advances’ of the modern cities, like London. As you open the doors of the desired place, a feeling of overwhelming well-being overcomes you. It is quite a feeling, I’m telling you! Coming from the rain outside, the coming and going of people, suddenly carpet in the floor! –if you are lucky, of course- and a quiet corner of the world opens up.
Once there, it is a difficult choice whether to pretend to actually look for some book in particular or some department. Most of us just walk around it pretending, once again, to be too unspecified as to being able to check one department only. Before even starting to think of what I want to buy, the simple coolness of standing in it makes you proud of yourself already.
A book, 15 pounds and 3 floors later, it’s the ‘what the hell I’m having a coffee’ moment. Your mind has got into such a peaceful stage after looking at all the discounts coming from heaven –called usually ‘the marketing people’-, that a cup of tea is granted!
Some would say it is a topic, but when you get your well-deserved tea and cookie, choose your wooden table and sit down, there is a big change you will overhear a conversation that you are most likely not to understand. This is not because of it not being in your language, yeah could be, but because after all you are there just for the fun of the experience rather than the bunch of friends discussing more intelligent sounding topics.
Why would anyone even think of taking this experience from us?
I know the digital book, the deeply loved and hated Kindle and all of his friends are very exciting to start off, but do not deprive me of these moments.
