As much as I don't particularly have a strong affinity for Borders the bookshop per se, I am sad to hear of its passing purely because of its ubiquity and monstrosity. Yes, it was a huge bookshop chain that sought to inhume every independent bookshop in its path, it was a bookshop, possibly the world's largest one, and any bookshop or library's demise should be mourned. Wandering around its bright and commercially driven aisles was part of my shopping mall time, especially if I had time to kill or was in need of some literary respite. Albeit it didn't have the awesomeness and kookiness of Kinokuniya, or the classicness of Dymocks, its presence will be missed. Although perhaps its demise is something to do with the fact that readers don't particularly like bookshops that try to be department stores?
The Guardian argues that the demise of bookshops is something we should fight against, as online retailers such as Amazon will never live up to the pleasure of choosing a book physically. I predict, and hope that this fight will bring the advent of something new entirely; the renaissance of independent book stores with staff recommendations and book readings. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood involve myself wandering around a library or a bookshop; taking in its musty smell and marvelling at the hundreds and thousands of worlds calling out to me. Perhaps, with Borders' death, I'll be able to rediscover these worlds.
From the Readings website. Perhaps there'll be more of these bookshops opening up!
PS. I love it when I'm writing and it rains. Best rainy day activity!
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