The Written Word is NOT Dead
by aliciak - October 05, 2008
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Literature & Arts | Shopping
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...so put a sock in it already! I refuse to believe that print is dead, that all publishing houses will die a slow death, that bookstores will cease to exist. Nooooooo! Even though the sufferings of these various industries are regularly chronicled (in print usually!), there is reason to believe that they will survive.
Bookstores are OPENING
Yeah yeah yeah, so a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan closes and everyone panics about the future of bookstores. While that wasn’t the first warning sign that bookstores were in trouble, it prompted the question, “If B&N can’t make it, how can the little guys survive?” Well, that particular branch was small and narrow, and only 5 blocks from the Union Square mega B&N that everyones loves (and hates sometimes, like during the holidays=lines).
Sadly, a lot of “little guys” have closed, but new independent booksellers have entered the scene and they are making a go of it. The future of print may be uncertain, and the leases that make it all possible are precarious and unpredictable, but for now, there’s probably a bookstore within walking distance of you and you should definitely visit.
Idlewild Books
And globes! Remember Globey on Pee-Wee Herman’s Playhouse? When I was little, my library had a globe and we’d play the game where you spin it with your eyes closed, and randomly drop your finger on your future home. Well, one time I did this, I ended up CUTTING my finger on the metal part. Is that a sign?
Idlewild Books
12 West 19th Street New York, NY 10011
Idlewild is quite a new kid on the block, but has already honed some pretty decent book-organizing skills. It’s an understatement to say that it’s a “travel bookstore.” Here’s an example of why they rock, as quoted from a New York Times article:
In the India section, “A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth shares shelf space with “A Passage to India” by E. M. Forster, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and “The Complete Illustrated Kama Sutra.”
Smart!!!
Powerhouse Arena
37 Main Street New York, NY 11201
It’s not just a shop, it’s an arena. It’s a combination art gallery, boutique, performance space and, of course, bookstore. Hello spaciousness! It reminds me a lot of Exit Art on the west side.
Powerhouse is also a book PUBLISHER, of art titles mainly, so you’ll find a lot of those, but look out for some unique coffee table books and kiddy selections.
Babbo's Books
242 Prospect Park West Brooklyn, NY 11215
A cute little bookstore in cute Windsor Terrace. It’s on the strip of Prospect Park West that always reminds me of a small town, mainly b/c it’s a lot of mom and pop shops and it’s lined by American flags.
P.S. Bookshop
145 Front Street Brooklyn, NY 11201
It’s always refreshing to see a new independent bookstore, but when it takes up residence in a trendy posh neighborhood with ever-increasing rents, it’s quite the laudable event! Hooray P.S.! It’s a nice alternative if you’re galleried-out or not into the overall Dumbo “scene.”
Unnameable Books
456 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
The owner’s got a sense of humor! Even if he’s a bit on the quieter side. First it was “Adam’s Books,” each letter printed on 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper, but then after much thought…I guess he decided to be undecided about the name? 3 bookstores closed down in Park Slope in the past 3 years. Net loss of 2 now. Sniff sniff, I miss my used bookstores. :(
The owner’s got a sense of humor! Even if he’s a bit on the quieter side. First it was “Adam’s Books,” each letter printed on 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper, but then after much thought…I guess he decided to be undecided about the name? 3 bookstores closed down in Park Slope in the past 3 years. Net loss of 2 now. Sniff sniff, I miss my used bookstores. :(
Rest In Peace
Some of my favorites, put out to pasture, unfortunately. :(
7th Avenue Books
Park Slope Books
Gotham Book Mart
Coliseum Books
12th Street Books
The first two were very special to me, as after long (12+ hour) days, sometimes 7/days a week, my treat to myself at 9pm was to browse the shelves at these two almost side-by-side Park Slope bookstores. Buying a $6 book made each grueling day worth it, and even when I didn’t buy anything, just looking around and familiarizing myself with authors, running my fingers along spines, recognizing books and memories attached to them was pretty darn magical.
Oh beautiful beautiful typeface!
Please never gather dust!
Sadly, I can predict that in 40 years I’m going to be taking my grandchildren to a museum exhibit on printing and they will ask Granny Alicia what the heck these little letter blocks are. Saaaad.
Where have all the printing presses gone???
Digital this, digital that. Here I am TYPING, something akin to writing, yes, but not the same. I’m a little old-fashioned and refer to my notebook (NO, I DON’T MEAN A LAPTOP) writing as “real writing.” I’m a fan of mind-to-paper over mind-to-computer, as evidence by how I wrote every single one of my college papers: on loose leaf FIRST! Yes, even 20 page papers on baudy language in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales all got written down with pen on paper. Typing up papers was always a formality to me.
Apparently, I am a minority in this. An anomaly even. And I now type a loooooot of things first, including these guides. Such is. But printing and presses are not obsolete…yet…but surely the “green” movement will give them an extra kick out the door. Embrace digital? I’ll hold its hand if I have to.
Meville House moves from Hoboken to Brooklyn!
Funny story about Hoboken, but I’ll save it for another time. Meville House is an indy press that is now located in Dumbo…see a pattern here?
The Dunder Mifflin commercial (The Office!)
Cuz paper is where it’s at!!! I was with Michael when he refuses to go digital, i.e., have a website.
"Digital is our Destiny"
Say it ain’t so! Please? Oh, Random House thinks digital is our destiny? Hmm, they are sort of a big deal in the publishing world. I refuse to read this Business Week article because I’m happy being in denial. Hmph.
Holy Moly, things look BLEAK!
Publishing house a bleak house? This BuzzMachine article paints a sad picture by rounding up all the bad news about the written word going down the toilet: publishers focusing on digital, newspaper lay-offs, presses no longer BUYING new printing presses!
Thanks for all that, Jeff Jarvis, * tear *.
The Kindle=The Devil
As Newsweek says, “Books aren’t dead. They’re just going digital.” Fooey on that. And this is coming from someone who wore gloves or put tissues between her fingers and some paperbacks because of the scratchy texture. (Um…no comment). I don’t care about saving the trees if it means giving up all my books, magazines and newspapers for digital versions. I’m. Not. Doing. It.
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The FUTURE
So, I’m not in denial so much that I don’t see change is necessary! I get it. Print and publishing industries must adapt or fear extinction. Exactly what this means will remain to be seen. For now, it’s hard to imagine readers giving up their physical daily paper (and/or crossword), the magazines at the doctor’s office, searching the library for summer reads and replacing the flow of a pen’s ink with the jerky movements of keyboard typing. Sigh. I hope we can find a delicate balance.
Mix and Match Magazine service
A new business model…will it save the magazine industry? I hope so, because I love the glossies.
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