Our thinking

The (book) worm has turned

15 July, 2022

Here’s some good news: there are now even more places to stock up on summer reading. It seems real book shops, selling actual, physical books are on the up, and becoming more diverse and reflective of society too.  

The Booksellers Association – representing independent booksellers across the UK and Ireland – report that membership has grown to 1,027 shops, up from 867 in 2016. Their US equivalent has seen an increase of 872 member stores since July 2020.  

These shops are welcome addition to our long-suffering high streets, who were dealt an almost deadly blow by Covid-19. They are also key hubs for communities, increasing access to and demand for alternative books that speak to different cultures and experiences. Bookshops like Round Table in Brixton, selling inclusive children’s books and Yu and Me Books, in New York stocking titles by immigrants and people of colour, are great examples of this, both of which opened in the last year. We see so many industries simply paying lip service to the DE&I agenda but walking into these shops you can clearly see it in action.  

If all this talk of books has inspired you, we also have a very topical recommendation from one of the Good Business team. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich is ostensibly a ghost story but explores the impact of Covid-19, the Black Lives Matter Movement and the perils and joys of running an independent book shop. Remember to support your local bookshop or purchase it through Bookshop.org or Hive.  

By Jessie Smith