Bookstore Girls by Kei Aono (translated by Haydn Trowell)
Ebooks weren’t real books - they were just data. A completely different thing. A bookstore wasn’t simply a place where books were sold - it was a place where customers, publishers and booksellers met, where conversations happened sometimes even clashes. That was how you ended up with something new. It was a place where people connected through books - that was what a bookstore was, and that was why she loved them. (p. 307) Bookstore Girls is such a satisfying book to read for those of us who love books. Bookstores. And, Japan. In fact, you don’t even need to admire Japan to appreciate this book, which is an ode to books, and readers, everywhere. Photo credit here . Japanese bookstores, such as the one pictured above, offer a haven like no other. Yet, Kei Aono gives an insight into the business that may not be widely known. She draws the connections between publishers and booksellers, sales managers and he public, authors and editors. Each provides a vital element to the success of...
