The myth of the book store

I recently read this article that basically represents every single "demise of the book store" type piece. The problem, as I see it, is that all of these arguments cling to a romantic ideal of the bookstore that does not and has never existed.

Let's look at this logically. What do you want out of a bookstore:

1) Getting the book you want
2) Getting a book you didn't know you wanted
3) Getting whatever you buy at the best price
4) Having chance meetings that lead to love or friendship.

So, where does the physical bookstore stack up against an online retailer.

1) Certainly a bookstore offers a more immediate resolution to your book buying needs. However, given that the online retailer is pretty much guaranteed to have more stock (i.e. their stock is in various giant warehouses vs individual stores) in fewer places, the odds of getting the book you want are much higher online, especially if you're looking for an obscure or less popular title.

2) #2 and #4 are the classic book store arguments. So, ask yourself this, how many books have you read and loved because you were browsing a bookstore and decided to buy something on an impulse?

I find books via best-of lists, award nominees, word of mouth, reviews, best seller rankings etc..etc...

In other words, the idea of random browsing as a way to find amazing books is, by definition, absurd. There are 181,000 new books published annually in the US. You are really going to tell me that random wandering through a bookstore is more efficient than any of the methods I listed above?

3) No contest, online wins

4) This has got to be the single greatest book buying myth. Quick, how many of your friends did you meet in a bookstore? How many romantic partners have you married after meeting in a bookstore?

Granted, you'll never meet anyone through Amazon so any chance greater than zero makes the bookstore a winner, but how does the reality of "book store random conversation" stack up with the romantic myth of "book store random conversation"?


As far as I am concerned, the bookstore as a) way to find books you wouldn't otherwise read b) way to meet wonderful people is massively overwhelmed by the size, selection, price, instant reviews etc.. of the online world.

I love bookstores...I do...and other than a "I need a birthday present quick" scenario, pretty much never go into one. The online world is cheaper and better in pretty much every conceivable way.