Jiwon reviewed 오늘 서점 2021 by 김초엽
Is this the sunset era of physical bookstores?
4 stars
I downloaded the Aladin's ebook app to be notified of free ebook rentals! One was written by Kim Choyeop, one of my favorite authors, so I binged the whole thing in one sitting, finishing the read at 7AM.
It's a bit unfair to say this book is written by Kim Choyeop, as it is a collection of essays (and a short story) about bookstores. Reflecting the constant anxiety of an industry constantly under threat, many authors ponder what is the existential purpose of (physical) bookstores in an era in which the average person doesn't read a single book, and those who do, read lots of ebooks?
It was reassuring that there are some lunatics like me still out there that like physical bookstores. Casually browsing Barnes & Nobles or the university library and returning home with some books that randomly piqued my interest is one of my favorite things to …
I downloaded the Aladin's ebook app to be notified of free ebook rentals! One was written by Kim Choyeop, one of my favorite authors, so I binged the whole thing in one sitting, finishing the read at 7AM.
It's a bit unfair to say this book is written by Kim Choyeop, as it is a collection of essays (and a short story) about bookstores. Reflecting the constant anxiety of an industry constantly under threat, many authors ponder what is the existential purpose of (physical) bookstores in an era in which the average person doesn't read a single book, and those who do, read lots of ebooks?
It was reassuring that there are some lunatics like me still out there that like physical bookstores. Casually browsing Barnes & Nobles or the university library and returning home with some books that randomly piqued my interest is one of my favorite things to do.
Only one author wrote fiction. It was very well written, touching on how connections can bloom over books and how the world seems so cold to people's feelings.
Listening to what bookworms have to say tends to leave me optimistic. The kinds of people who frequent physical bookstores seem more curious about the world, more progressive in their beliefs. Polar opposite to the political realm; I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.