Film Reviews Winter 2020
The Booksellers ( Aus Liebe zum Buch ) **** USA 2019 , documentary Opened October 29 , 2020
Directed by : D . W . Young Writing credits : D . W . Young Narrated by : Parker Posey Featuring as themselves : Fran Lebowitz , Gay Talese
Attention , book lovers ! This documentary will take you into the world of antiquarian , rare , and collectible books and the eccentric , fascinating , intellectual , and obsessed hunters and gatherers who are part of this world . At times nostalgic and melancholic , it takes us to the New York Book Fair at the Park Avenue Armory and into the antiquarian and used bookstores which have unfortunately become fewer and fewer . Argosy and The Strand are still around ( Argosy , New York ’ s oldest independent bookstore , can only afford its Midtown location because its six-story building is owned by the three daughters of the owner ), but the struggle , first against the big bookselling chains like Barnes & Noble ( now themselves ailing ) and then against new technologies , has wiped out many of the small bookstores . However , here we see the true bibliophiles who never give up chasing their next big find . We get a glimpse of the auctioneering world of books , quite different from the world of fine art . And yes , the auctioneer , quite the cliché , is clad in tweed and sports an old-fashioned waxed mustache in Hercule Poirot style . And we visit a bookseller in his warehouse in New Jersey , where 300,000 volumes of rare books are stocked next to stuffed sea gulls and a masonic throne .
An important point made is that , whatever the collection , no matter how many first , second , or third editions or rarities , it is always unique , and the goal is to archive it as such , so that after the death of the collector , it can be made available to a broader public .
It is encouraging to see that many women are part of this fascinating world , getting more recognition than pioneers Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine B . Stern who , in their time , were denied membership at The Grolier Club , North America ’ s oldest bibliophilic club . Equally encouraging is to see that a “ younger ” ( not yet white-haired ) generation is developing , young readers and collectors whose love for books and their role in preserving cultural knowledge and human history is undaunted .
Although this documentary is set in the New York book world , it is obvious that it can be translated into any other country . A must-see for any bibliophile . 99 minutes ( Ulrike Lemke )
Second Opinion of The Booksellers ( Aus Liebe zum Buch ) ****
Booksellers sell books in bookstores and “ transmit the ability to appreciate books ,” but what is the future of the culture of books , considering that “ we owe to literature who and what we are ?” In New York City in the 1950s there were 368 bookstores ; today there are only 79 . We visit several NYC stores , including The Strand , which is the last of the 48 bookstores originally situated on Fourth Avenue . It is now facing bankruptcy , due to COVID-19 . We see Argosy Book Store , the oldest in Manhattan , founded in 1925 , which specializes in antique books and first editions . A first edition of Ian Fleming ’ s Casino Royale still brings a high price . We see a first edition of Edgar Allen Poe ’ s Tamberlane and Other
Poems from 1827 . We learn how books were produced with “ dust ” jackets .
What is the influence of the internet or large chain bookstores on buying books ? Today , many people no longer browse for hours , comparing and looking for the perfect book . They walk into a chain bookstore , pick up a bestseller , and leave again . Nowadays , collectors of old or first editions have less trouble finding a “ rare ” book . Even if only a few first editions are available , one can find them quickly online . The internet has flushed out the word “ rare ”; editions can be found online without having to search in bookstores . And then there is Kindle and online reading . The film reminds us of the Nazis burning books in the 1930s . Throughout this excellent and informative film , 48 bookstore owners , readers , authors , and other experts report on the situation of bookstores in New York City , which also mirrors similar difficulties in many other parts of the world . Naturally , as a dedicated reader , I will always hold on to books , read books , appreciate books . My daughter-in-law just published her ninth book on Amazon . Will it be sold in a bookstore ? A good question . ( Becky Tan ) www . awchamburg . org 39