Today I visited the new Borders Bookstore in Silver Spring, MD. I thought Borders was a respectable book store chain (that is, not too huge) but I saw some things that offended my literary sensibilities greatly. Namely: the literary seemed to be largely banished from the store.
Since starting the doctoral program in English literature at the University of Maryland, I have gotten into the habit of going immediately to the literary criticism section upon entering a (usually used) book store. Much to my chagrin, this Borders did not have a literary criticism section. There were a few shelves for fiction, but none (that I could find) for criticism.
Then I went to the magazine section and was shocked to find no literary magazines available. There was a "culture" magazine section, full of glossy, celebrity-laden publications, but nothing as "high brow" as literary criticism.
In the words of Hall and Oates pop song, "How long has this been going on?" How long have magazines and books written by people who attempt a more-than-superficial contemplation of literary art been missing from the bigger book stores (I think I remember at least literary magazines at Barnes and Noble)?
I suppose part of the problem is that at this moment in the U.S. we're more likely to quote a pop song (see above) than a literary critic or literary work of art. In fact, that was the notable thing for me: there was a magazine section for "culture" (umbrella term) than for "literature." Culture, especially pop culture, has replaced the classics of Greece and Rome, and literary classics in general, as the typical matrix of cultural commentary.
I'll grant that perhaps it's a good thing that literature is no longer privileged as it once was, but it would be nice to find literature in what was once known as a book store when you want it (I'm pretty sure "Books" is still in the sign over the door--but maybe they've changed the name to "Borders Media" or "Borders Cultural Products").
I can deal with the marginalization of literature, but not its erasure. So I guess I'll have to look elsewhere to meet my weird, idiosyncratic need for literature. Like used book stores, and independent booksellers. I think it's a good policy anyway to avoid the big chain book stores. Now I have yet another reason to do so, if I didn't have enough reasons already.
Posted by jeb at July 29, 2005 10:51 PM | TrackBackChain bookstores aren't about the literary. They're about creating a literary *experience*, i.e. a simulacrum of the literary. Think of the ubiquitous B&N cafe mural, which delivers a conclave of great authors peering down at you as you sit and sip a latte and (far more likely than a Penguin Classic) flip the pages of a computer or biking mag.