Books Are My Bag

 

Did you visit a bookshop on Saturday?

Saturday, October 11 was a day for celebrating bookshops in the UK.  It was the second annual  Books Are My Bag campaign launch; a day promising 'An Author in Every Bookshop'.  Unlike most other book events, this campaign is a collaboration between publishers, bookshops and authors.

According to the BOOKS ARE MY BAG website, "56% of all book buying decisions are made by consumers in a bookshop and high street bookshops (both chains and independents) still account for almost 40% of books bought by consumers. Yet, many high street bookshops are under threat."

Most of us will acknowledge that there are times when the convenience of Amazon wins the day (and book-buying pound), but there is something special about the book-browsing experience that just can't be duplicated in an online transaction.  Some of the bookstores which regularly get my business are Daunt Books and Foyle's Bookshop in London, Blackwell's in Oxford, Madhatter Bookshop in Burford -- and of course my nearest Waterstones.  In the past five months, I've read between 60-70 Young Adult novels and a sizeable percentage of those were purchased as a direct result of scanning bookshelves and beguiling 'feature' tables.  If you want to interest your child in reading, the nearest bookshop is the way to start.

I couldn't make it to the bookshop on Saturday, but I visited my local Waterstones today -- and the Tracey Emin designed book bag is still on offer.  I also picked up a few intriguing titles for TRAC's "War-Torn Worlds" book list, coming in November.  If you, too, missed Saturday's events do remember that it is always worth visiting a bookshop.  They absolutely rely on Christmas book sales; and of course, a book is always the right size.