Buying Books

I was thinking today that I can't remember the last time I actually bought a book in a physical book store.

This disturbs me, but not for the reasons you might think... I'm not worried about the disappearance of small businesses or how we can go an entire day/week/month without ever seeing/interacting with a real life person due to our increased reliance on technology.

This disturbs me because it has drastically changed the types of books that I read.

In a bookstore, I am drawn, no, I am compelled to pick up that one single book on the shelf. You know the one... where there's only one copy and there are no other books by the same author. I've picked up some really interested books that way... discovered new authors, read genres (or subjects) I never would have otherwise.

Seriously, most of my favourite authors are ones no one else I know has ever read or heard of... like Kris Kenway. Edward Carey. Nicholas Christopher. Banana Yoshimoto. Jostein Gaarder. Joe Coomer. Helen Oyeyemi.

Now, I find out about books from websites, from reviews, from Amazon's recommendations. I don't find that new author who has only written one book. Or that obscure subject I picked up with no idea what I was getting into. I am only reading what most other people have read and promoted.

And I think that's sad.

I feel I'm missing out on a ton of good books.

...so maybe I need to get off my computer and find a bookstore ;)