Best-selling author and store owner Ann Patchett talks about the fate of independent bookstores and why a revival seems more possible these days than ever before.
For many years, independent bookstores were on the list of endangered species when national retail chains and internet commerce began to chip away at their consumer base. It left a city like Nashville, Tennessee (population 626,000) without a proper bookstore.
The BBC's Franz Strasser paid a visit to Ms Patchett's new Parnassus bookstore and spoke to customers as well as authors Myra McEntire (Hourglass) and Amy Plum (Until I Die).
Link here to BBC to listen to Ann Patchett (note it takes a few seconds for the video link to start).
Most statistics in the video are courtesy of Al Greco, Fordham University.
For many years, independent bookstores were on the list of endangered species when national retail chains and internet commerce began to chip away at their consumer base. It left a city like Nashville, Tennessee (population 626,000) without a proper bookstore.
The BBC's Franz Strasser paid a visit to Ms Patchett's new Parnassus bookstore and spoke to customers as well as authors Myra McEntire (Hourglass) and Amy Plum (Until I Die).
Link here to BBC to listen to Ann Patchett (note it takes a few seconds for the video link to start).
Most statistics in the video are courtesy of Al Greco, Fordham University.