I suspect I am, although as the more people are brought up on the internet, I will probably be proven wrong.

No, your line is 'shoyt'.

See, I assumed that the hallmarks of antiquarian book stores were because of the internet. But apparently not. Apparently, according to elder book-lovers I know, those sorts of stores have always been patronised by slightly shifty looking, possibly piss-stained corduroy types and have always had a chap who, worryingly, actually is either Manny or Bernard from Black Books, but older and more strange.

There was a character referred to as "The Bathroom Eater" in one of the bookstores here.

Also, in another one (A great one with fantastically sick curios and oddities in addition to books) there was a sign on the inside of the bathroom door that said "YOU! YOU WITH THE DIRTY MAGAZINES! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU WILL BE KICKED OUT FOR GOOD IF I FIND OUT YOU WERE DOING IT AGAIN."

The internet can't give you that kind of satisfaction. No sir.

you failed ESL, right? DEAT?

I don't wear corduroy, piss-stained or otherwise. I just wanted to clear that up. The rest of that is spot on.

I neglected the most important thing: It's not a real antiquarian bookstore if the shelving and stacking thereof obeys the normal laws of physics. They must somehow seem to bend over your head in such a fashion as to render your entire time within the store in fear of dying as a result of the 70s Fishing Almanacs avalanching upon your person.

Also, there must only be a hint of a proprietor behind a counter stacked high with books and papers. Perhaps an occasional rustling or indecipherable mumbling.

The strangest law of a good antiquarian bookstore is that you should always have another look at the section that most interests you before you leave, as you will notice something that passed you by five minutes earlier.

I like it when I find a nice book and then discover that some previous owner has cut out and placed in the tome a relevent newpaper clipping from years before. That makes me happy.

The one really cool collection we bought during my tenure at the record store had TONS of newspaper clippings in the LPs dating back to the late 60s. It was really enjoyable to check that stuff out.

I doubt there's anything more satisfying. I often put newspaper clippings inside my own books.

I have a Billy Bragg LP (Brewing up with...) from a second-hand store which says, "To Jamie - the jagged edge of life. Please don't ever forget it. Love Gully xxx" which has been crossed out and someone has written, "Love as always!!!! Anna/ Lucy".

I really should scribble out the messages and pass it on to a loved one. I feel sad that the records life as a conveyor of love messages has stopped with me.

it will be a long time before the internet kills the specialist stores where the collectors frequent. so a few multinational chains go down, so what, something else will pop up, the people will get jobs in other places so on and so forth

i don't get yr. post either. it must be some discommunnication.

4 u.

http://www.badongo.com/vid/225675

t think it will be the end of every record store and certainly not the smaller independant ones. i do hope that it brings some sort of end to HMV and virgin etc. they have had over priced music and films for so long and they really should have had a re think about the internet and what it was going to do to their business long ago. i used to work at an HMV and they didnt really think the internet was going to ruin their business with music downloads etc.

What is so wrong with internet shopping,now?For as long as you're buying a record that you are going to enjoy,who cares about where you buy it?Independent shops believed their own preciousness for too long and,also,when all is said and done they do sell online like HMV and Virgin do.If this sounds controversial,i don't care.


Louise Wener

There's nothing wrong with internet shopping at all, Louise. Sleeper's records never sold very much at all, did they, so I guess you're happy with royalties from anywhere.

Well,yes,you are possibly referring to my moderately successfull books then.And i used to be a pop star of some calibre at one point.If this sounds controversial,i don't care.

Lou

Lou - it is still you dragging me under, you said I was cheap but it was, in fact the sale of the century. Oh, it feels just like we just got started.

Personally I have difficulties shopping online because I don't know what I want. I can't browse very well. It's not the fault of the economy, it's just that I haven't quite caught up yet.

Louis Armstrong once said, "If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never understand."

If you have to ask what's wrong with Internet shopping and what is so right about independent store shopping, well, there's no point in trying to explain it. You won't get it.