Respecting Literature

One of the the things I adore about Spain is how strong the book culture is here. There are countless bookstores in the area where I live – I can think of eight within a kilometer or so. They’re not franchises, just small, family-owned businesses that thrive despite the fact that Amazon and ebooks are also popular here.

These bookstores are always crowded and they’ve managed this feat without also having to sell toys and coffee.

What’s also charming? That people are impressed that I’m an editor (a well-respected profession here) and that I’ve written a lot of books (authors are also well-respected here).

When someone finds out I’ve written books, they’ll stand there and look them up on their phone, and give me heartfelt congratulations.

It’s so odd, coming from the US, to get this support from just ordinary people who aren’t themselves writers or editors.

Not incidentally, I think it’s important to note that the literacy rate in Spain is 99%, whereas in the US it’s a much lower 79%, with more than half of all adults reading at less than a sixth-grade level. It’s hard to care about books if you don’t know how to read them, a point I wish more publishers understood (and did more to address).