Against Amazon: and Other Essays

by Jorge Carrión, Peter Bush (Translator)

Picking up where the widely praised Bookshops: A Reader’s History left off, Against Amazon explores the increasing pressures of Amazon and other new technologies on bookshops and libraries. Collecting the author’s essays on these vital social, cultural, and intellectual spaces, as well as his interviews with the writers who love them―including Alberto Manguel, Iain Sinclair, Luigi Amara and Han Kang, among others―Against Amazon is equal parts a history of books and bookshops, an autobiography of a reader, a travelogue, a love letter―and, most urgently, a manifesto against the corrosive pressures of late capitalism.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, History, Spanish Literature, Books About Books, Society, Travel

211 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2017

About the author

Escritor español que ha sido vinculado por parte de la crítica con el movimiento Afterpop, y crítico literario español. Nació en Tarragona, pero ha pasado la mayor parte de su vida entre Mataró y Barcelona. Ha vivido también en Argentina y en los Estados Unidos. Licenciado y doctor en Humanidades por la Universidad Pompeu Fabra de Barcelona, da clases de literatura contemporánea y de escritura creativa en esa misma universidad, e imparte clases sobre literatura y literatura de viajes en la Escola d’Escriptura del Ateneu Barcelonès. Es autor de numerosos libros, que van desde la novela hasta el ensayo y la literatura de viajes.

Entre 2000 y 2005 fue miembro del consejo de redacción de la desaparecida revista Lateral. Entre los años 2006 y 2009 fue codirector de la revista literaria Quimera junto con Juan Trejo y Jaime Rodríguez Z. Ha publicado crítica cultural en los suplementos culturales de los diarios Avui, ABC, Perfil, Clarín y La Vanguardia. Sus artículos y reportajes han aparecido en Letras Libres, National Geographic Viajes, Otra Parte, Revista de Occidente, Eñe y Lonely Planet Magazine, entre otros medios hispanoamericanos. Ha sido incluido en antologías literarias de México, España, Alemania, Cuba y Argentina.

Reviews

[Andrea Belfiori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok boomer.

[Antonio de la Mano · Rating 1 out of 5]

Creí que este libro de Jorge Carrión sería un buen ensayo que plantease el estado actual de las librerías contra el gigante de la distribución americana y lo que me encuentro es una recopilación de artículos, relatos y entrevistas que no tiene nada que ver en absoluto con el propósito del libro. Algunas de ellas de una soporiferidad e infumabilidad muy preocupantes. En algunos relatos (dios mío, el de Italia es el peor de todos) la palabra Amazon ni aparece y todo acaba siendo una especie de diario de viajes de las librerías del mundo por las que el autor ha paseado. Y cómo le gusta coleccionar libros y hablar con otras personas que también lo hacen. No perdáis el tiempo, que ya lo hice yo por vosotros.

[somuchreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Για ένα βιβλίο με έναν τέτοιο τίτλο, αυτό εδώ δεν ήταν ακριβώς το ανάγνωσμα που περίμενα ή που θα ήθελα.

Αν είχα περισσότερη διάθεση, θα μπορούσα να σας γράψω εδώ κάτι για το πως οι λανθασμένες προσδοκίες επιδρούν στην ανταπόκρισή μας σε ένα βιβλίο, αλλά και πως καλό θα ήταν όταν το κρίνουμε να βγάζουμε απ' έξω το κομμάτι των προσδοκιών. Να είναι σα να μπαίνουμε στο βιβλίο από το 0, χωρίς να έχουμε προσχηματίσει το κόνσεπτ του στο μυαλό μας. Όσο αυτό γίνεται βέβαια, δεν είμαστε ρομποτάκια χωρίς συναισθήματα.

Αν έμπαινα με 0 προσδοκίες στο βιβλίο λοιπόν, θα μου άρεσε; Μμμ, όχι τόσο. Το Against Amazon είναι ένα βιβλίο που αποτελείται από διαφορετικά κείμενα που μιλούν, με τον ένα ή τον άλλο τρόπο, για τα βιβλία. Και ως τέτοιο έχει κάποια όμορφα, ενδιαφέροντα κομμάτια αλλά και αρκετά που είναι, πώς να το πω, η χειρότερή μου.

Η κοσμοθεωρία μου γύρω από τα βιβλία και την ανάγνωση δεν είναι η κλασική, νομίζω. Δε με ενδιαφέρει ο διαχωρισμός των χάρτινων από τα ηλεκτρονικά βιβλία, δε με συγκινεί η μυρωδιά του χαρτιού, δεν είμαι οπαδός των κλασικών δημιουργών, δεν ανταποκρίνομαι καλά στην επίκληση στην αυθεντία, δε βρίσκω ανώτερους τους αναγνώστες, δε θεωρώ πως είναι σωστή η εξύψωση της ανάγνωσης ως μυσταγωγία. Και είμαι κατά της Amazon, εκεί ταιριάζουμε με τον τίτλο του βιβλίου.

Πολλές φορές το βιβλίο λοιπόν μιλά για την ανάγνωση με τρόπο και όρους στους οποίους δε συμφωνώ. Τα κείμενά του είναι καλογραμμένα μα μοιάζουν σα να βρίσκονται τυχαία στο βιβλίο και το ύφος τους μοιάζει να ξεπετάχτηκε από μια εφημερίδα του '80, όπου ο boomer αρθρογράφος επιχειρηματολογεί για το πώς το βιβλία είναι πολιτισμός. Προφανώς και είναι πολιτισμός τα βιβλία, αλλά ταυτόχρονα δε χρειάζεται κι έναν 70χρονο να μου τα κάνει καύκαλα για αυτό, με παντελώς ξεπερασμένους όρους και σχεδόν μοναδικό όπλο τη νοσταλγία.

Σε αυτό, όπως είπα και παραπάνω, υπάρχουν εξαιρέσεις. Ένα ταξίδι μνήμης σε διάφορα βιβλιοπωλεία του κόσμου, ας πούμε, με έκανε να νοσταλγήσω κι εγώ τα βιβλιοπωλεία των ταξιδιών στο εξωτερικό. Αυτές οι στιγμές όμως δεν αρκούν για να σώσουν το βιβλίο από τη μετριότητα. Κρίμα για το χαμένο potential, διόμιση αστεράκια θα ήταν μια καλή βαθμολογία για μένα, θα πω.

[Angy - Books Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incuriosita dal titolo ho deciso di leggere questo libro, anche perché io amo Amazon (lo ammetto) e volevo capire quali tesi sostenesse l'autore.

Primo capitolo molto inerente, Carrión spiega come Amazon tratti i libri con mera finalità di marketing.

Nei capitoli successivi, invece, sembra quasi che cambi argomento. Molto spesso sono riportate delle interviste ad alcuni scrittori.
Questo all'inizio mi ha dato fastidio, poi però ho iniziato ad apprezzare questo divagare anche perché ogni tanto si coglie un vago collegamento con Amazon e internet in generale.

Anche se breve, lettura non molto scorrevole.

[فيصل السويدي · Rating 4 out of 5]

عوالم الكتب لها سحرها الخاص، في هذا الكتاب الكثير من النقد اللاذع والمنطقي لأمازون، الكثير من معلومات الكُتب والكُتّاب وبعض المعلومات (المشتتة) في رأيي

[Vendedor de rápida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recopilación de ensayos, entrevistas y otros textos sobre librerías y el mundo del libro en general. El alegato por la bibliodiversidad y contra el dominio neoliberal de las multinacionales y lo virtual se va desgranando en ejemplos múltiples, desde un paseo por las librerías de Corea hasta una ruta por la historia literaria de Capri. Muy interesante complemento del ensayo ‘Librerías’

[2TReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting presentation of impressions, opinions and ideas on where we are today with institutions such as libraries and bookshops when they are being threatened by technology and Amazon.

-Democracy is particularly visible in libraries. That is why they must be defended-

What Carrón posits in this collection of essays that contain thoughts, impressions, opinions, interviews, and oft times memoiric recollections is his absolute love and devotion to brick and mortar bookstores, bookshops, and libraries.

What's clear is the high esteem he has for grass root movements that have been around and are continually cropping up in many countries, in many ways, to promote a love for reading and uncovering the varying experiences that books convey.

His essays criticizing Amazon is more than just literary snobbery (as he admits to using it especially to find out of print books, not to mention how hard it is to evade using it when they own many of the smaller online book seller sites); it is a disdain for the lack of depth and human element that a machine like Amazon eliminates from the discovery and exploration of the book buying/acquiring process that a bookstore evokes. It is ruminations on the importance of bookshops and libraries and a message to their needing to respond to an ever evolving book scene.

Amazon removes that certain anticipation and happenstance that can occur in bookstores: the strolling through shelf by shelf, the magic of being pulled in by a cover or a spine or a title and his essays and interviews certainly highlight that, as he always ensures to share his and other author's experiences with bookstores.

He is also fascinated by authors who have been inspired by reading and bookstores and shares stories about them and the way in which they would have formed a certain connection with books through bookshops and libraries and incorporated those into their writings.

But what I liked most about this collection is that Carrón is a dedicated librari/booksloguer, sharing his and other's travels and the libraries and bookstores that they have discovered and loves visiting, he also reminisces on those that have been shuttered/abandoned or been swallowed up by gentrification/Amazon etc.

This is a collection that also questions the place that bookstore/shops and libraries will hold in an ever changing and technologizing world, and even as he shares intimate moments and thoughts, his privilege is also quite present throughout and whether it is because of who he is or because of what he has worked to cultivate is up to the reader. For me, it's both. Definitely an interesting read nevertheless.

However do not expect a takedown of Amazon, Carrión presents what the current state is when it comes to challenging Amazon and how it keeps evolving in leaps and bounds as if in an effort to cement its place as The Place to buy books. He also spends a lot of time on writers past and present and their relationship with books and book spaces and how that relationship could possibly look in future.

[hanaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit ironic that I was reading an eBook version of this, but the writer does bring up some great points.

[Dora Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessante, mas nme arrebatou,mas gostei da leitura 😉

[Sarah Germano Mühlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das muitas coisas que "Contra Amazon", do espanhol Jorge Carrión, me ensinou, uma das principais é não julgar o livro pela capa, literalmente.

Eu tinha certeza que se tratava de um ensaio contundente contra a multinacional e que debateria sobre todos os malefícios que ela causa. Mas não, a obra se trata de uma carta de amor aos livros, livrarias, livreiros, escritores e todos os apaixonados pela escrita.

Em meio a uma série de ensaios, me vi aprendendo demais sobre esse universo fascinante, sobre obras de autores desconhecidos e livrarias mágicas em diferentes cantos do mundo.

As crônicas são rápidas e leves. Esse é um livro para levar na bolsa, ler em parques, cafés e nas próprias livrarias, porque não?!

Agora estou empolgada para ler "Livrarias", outro livro de ensaios do mesmo autor sobre esse tema pelo qual sou apaixonada.

Nota: 8/10
Leia mais resenhas em: www.instagram.com/invasoesgermanicas

[misael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Amazon eliminou progressivamente o factor humano. Durante os primeiros anos contou com redactores que escreviam a recensão dos livros à venda. Agora, nem sequer há mediação no processo de concepção gráfica e de fazer o upload de um livro autoeditado. Robotizou a cadeia de distribuição e pretende que os consumidores actuem do mesmo modo.
Mas não.
Porque, para nós, um livro é um livro é um livro.
E a sua leitura – uma oferenda e um acto de atenção – é um ritual, o eco do eco do eco do que foi sagrado.

[Homopoeticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me ha fascinado, sinceramente. Hay crónicas interesantes como "Contra Amazon. Siete razones/un manifiesto", "Bibliotecas de ficción" o "Los perros de Capri" (para m�� la mejor), pero después se intercalan socavones soporíferos como entrevistas o conversaciones que invitan al abandono de la lectura. Lo he terminado porque, como comento, después de artículos aburridos hay crónicas de viajes entretenidas y muy muy bien escritas; pero la sombra ha estado ahí siempre. Y es un sentimiento que no me gusta a la hora de leer. Empiezo a rechazar los libros hechos a base de reunir artículos, entrevistas, prólogos de libros...

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Apparently this is wrongly labeled as a manifesto. It is rather a glorified tantrum of a brat who discovers that live is not as obedient as mommy.

[Gio]

I picked this up randomly from the library, but I was still expecting so much more

[Annie-Claude Boulianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Je crois à la résistance minime et nécessaire. »

[Caroline Sol (Drinks & Livros) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Textos muito bons que fazem repensar o consumo, porém tem alguns outros bastante soníferos. No geral acho que vale a leitura.

[Jacob Bornheimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title is very poor for what is, in reality, an excellent set of essays on book culture, collecting, and shops. (In fact, the essays were not written as a whole, they were selected for the volume — the rest is just marketing.) The introductory polemic against Amazon is fine, if a bit standard, but the book moves sharply along to a varied set of essays, interviews, and travelogues that I found extremely pleasant. I don't side with Carrión on everything (for example, his maybe-maybe-not tongue-in-cheek dislike for used bookshops over new; he says of used shops, "they are death") but he always provides food for thought. I loved the interview with Alberto Manguel (I know he's Argentine by birth, but allow me a little Canadian pride here) and I loved the essay on Borges. This is only Carrión's second book in English and I hope more is translated soon!

[Silvia Tinoco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jorge Carrión reúne en este libro una serie de reflexiones, entrevistas y relatos en torno al encanto de los libros: Los viajes que hacemos relacionados con ellos, la emoción de tropezarnos con pequeñas joyas literarias, cómo se complica la gestión de nuestra biblioteca personal con los años, la transformación de nuestra experiencia lectora gracias a la tecnología, habla de Borges, por supuesto...
Uno de los capítulos que más me ha gustado es el dedicado a su charla con Alberto Manguel, escritor y director de la biblioteca nacional de Argentina entre 2016 y 2018.
"Contra Amazon" es uno de esos libros para los amantes de los libros y todo lo relacionado con ellos, que además te deja una colección de reflexiones interesantes, dignas de subrayar.

[Iván · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro con numerosos textos del autor sobre los libros, las librerías y las bibliotecas. El título es un poco engañoso y al final es más bien un complemento a su libro "Librerías". Como bibliófilo que soy, lo he encontrado interesante y me lo he leído en un día.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spanish essayist Jorge Carrión lists a mere seven reasons readers should avoid buying from the behemoth Amazon, but the best arguments in this collection are those supporting libraries and independent bookstores. One point against Carrión misses against Amazon (had we but world enough and time to explore all of them!) is its famous algorithm that reduces purchases to “if you like that, you might also like this.” If, like me, you prefer books in translation published by small, indie presses, Amazon will not refer you to similar publishers and books but to mega publishers and their mediocre treacle. Stated positively—which the majority of this book does exceedingly well—bookstores and libraries can provide human- and community-based discussions and exchanges of ideas.

Japan, for instance, now has a handful of bookstores that charge entry fees (about $13), which are refunded with purchases of equal or higher value. Experts in various fields (“concierges”) provide individualized recommendations for customers seeking such help. The best bookstores avoid trying to be all things to all people, and instead focus on a handful of areas. As a result, the best bookstores are not necessarily those with the largest inventories.

Waxing poetic along with Carrión about the joys of new and used bookstores are writers Alberto Manguel, Iain Sinclair, Han Kang, and others interviewed, less for insights in the books they have written than in their unstinting drive to find and read interesting and unusual works, and where the writers find them. In his capacity as Director of the National Library of Argentina, Alberto Manguel reveals a life that is far from leisurely:

“I’ve just reached seventy, and physically I feel I don’t have the energy to carry on for much longer, because this is a job that requires a mental and physical presence from early to late. I am in the library from 6:30 a.m., and what with official dinners and all the rest, I don’t go to bed until midnight. Seven days a week, with all the travelling and constant problems; I mean, a library isn’t a place where you only do one thing. Every quarter of an hour I have to solve a problem, related to electrical fittings, the purchase of books, customs red tape, trade-union issues, personal problems, there are 850 employees, a sick child, a divorce, the design of an exhibition, administrative matters, lectures, workshops, digitalization, in short. . . Every quarter of an hour there’s a different problem, and although I have a wonderful team, it is exhausting.”

That’s just one rabbit-hole of surprising information found on almost every page of this book. The amount of writing and publishing in Spanish in the U.S. shocked me, and made be both rue and delight in the fact that my monolingualism prevents me from expanding my own library even further. Recommended for book lovers everywhere.

For more of my reviews, please see https://www.thebookbeat.com/backroom/...

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Quando se é amante de livros, as paredes de casa vão-se revestindo de prateleiras até ficarem totalmente cobertas. Quando se é amante de livros, com o tempo vai-se esquecendo que havia paredes em casa. Quando se é amante de livros, enfim, está-se condenado a ser anacrónico, porque o preço do metro quadrado não permite bibliotecas infinitas. Mas porventura podemos nós, os seres humanos, não viver em constante estado de contradição?”

Este livro compila manifestos, entrevistas, crónicas e relatos de viagens, sempre com o amor pelos livros como fio condutor. Livrarias modernas, alfarrabistas, bibliotecas imaginadas, tudo cabe neste livro, que fez a minha lista de lugares livrescos a visitar crescer de forma alarmante.

De referir que a nossa portuguesa Livraria Lello não é referida de forma elogiosa…

Uma delícia de livro, ao qual devo regressar de vez em quando.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

En realidad como muchos advierten el titulo es engañoso en relación a lo que abordan los diferentes ensayos, crónicas y entrevistas. El ibro es un canto o elogio a la magia de las librerías, aquello que no produce Amazon. En síntesis, si te gustan los libros o recorrer librerías, como viajar por lugares, es un muy buen libro que recorre diferentes lugares y personas.

[Julia Stallone · Rating 4 out of 5]

que privilégio, obrigada editora elefante! (num tem a edição aqui, mas é isso)

[Triskel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une lecture salutaire et intéressante évidemment, mais nécessairement (trop) courte dans sa forme.

Un manifeste à (re)découvrir !

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publicado originalmente em Os Rascunhos

Este é um livro curioso. Começa-se pelo título do livro que o é, também, do texto inicial. Contra a Amazon é, afinal, uma composição do autor sobre os malefícios da cadeia americana que teria um objectivo contido de divulgação, mas que, dado o seu sucesso, é publicado num maior número de exemplares – aqui dando início a uma compilação de vários textos sobre livros, livreiros, livrarias, escritores ou bibliotecas.

Este primeiro texto, sendo o mais polémico, foi, também, aquele que mais me despertou a vontade de comentar, tendo-lhe dedicado um comentário mais detalhado. Mas é, no entanto, a meu ver, também o texto menos interessante do conjunto. É que nos restantes falam-se de livros (e o autor revela-se apreciador de banda desenhada, uma boa surpresa), escritores (para além de Borges, de outros com hábitos curiosos), de bibliotecas ficcionais (existentes nalgumas obras clássicas e não só) ou das melhores livrarias ou bibliotecas, sem esquecer do papel dos alfarrabistas.

Temos assim um texto em que se caminha em Londres com Iain Sinclair e se acaba a falar de livros que transformaram a cidade em cenários de fantasia ou de ficção científica, seguido de outro em que se fala dos critérios para considerar uma biblioteca como a mais importante do mundo. Não pode faltar, também, um texto sobre Borges, mas que apresenta uma perspectiva peculiar e diferente do que usual, centrando-se no escritor enquanto homem em transformação. Em as livrarias mitológicas de David B. fala-se de banda desenhada, e em De Little Havana a Miamizuela fala-se da transformação da cidade de Miami, e consequentemente da cultura que aqui cresce.

Mas este livro apresenta, também, entrevistas. Uma a Alberto Manguel, e outra com Luigi Amara. Passa-se por livrarias e bibliotecas de ficção (as que podemos encontrar em obras de ficção), fala-se de alfarrabistas e das novas livrarias que cruzam o conceito de venda de livros com museu ou outras vendas, tanto na Coreia como no Japão. Fala-se de livros que conheço e desconheço, bem como, mais surpreendentemente, de espaços portugueses, intercalados com os de outras localizações.

O resultado é um livro que se lê pausadamente. Cada texto ocupa entre 5 e 20 páginas (mais coisa, menos coisa), pelo que as ideias se vão quebrando de texto para texto. Nem todos os textos possuem o mesmo nível de interesse, claro, mas apresentam referências pouco usuais, cruzando os clássicos com as ocasionais obras de ficção especulativa ou banda desenhada.

Caso estejam interessados em mais detalhes, comentei alguns dos textos em duas outras entradas – As melhores livrarias do Mundo não são as que pensamos / Viagem ao fim da Luz / As Bibliotecas mais importantes do Mundo; Sete Razões / Um Manifesto.

[Carlos Vieira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro a que tenho de regressar quando abrir uma livraria.

[Charlie Cray · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a bibliomaniac, book collector, or like to spend a lot of time in libraries, second-hand bookstores, or just reading, this will be a fun read for you. From Barcelona, he takes us to Capri, Soeul, Japan, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and other places where we peek into private collections, famous libraries and bookstores -- some of which are remaking themselves as cultural centers and "erotic topographies."

He also recalls time spent in NYC "was a city of bookshops (many now extinct, except for the Strand and a dozen others) -- where "people are always holding their iPhone" (I have noticed a slight increase in the number of young people reading on the subway in recent visits, which probably isn't indicative of a hopeful trend).

Small bookshops will survive without having to pay tribute to Bezos. Or find out what books to read by going to sites like this!

Carrion's first book opened doors to meeting famous writers, bookshop owners and master librarians and historians. When the pandemic ends I hope he keeps going.

[Майя Ставитская · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spanish writer, critic and literary columnist Jorge Carrion, cooperation with such media monsters as the New York Times and National Geographic does not prevent him from trying on the armor of a book Don Quixote and a fighter against marketplaces that have taken over the book trade. The original name of the "Fictional Libraries" is Contra Amazon (against Amazon). The author quite rightly says that for marketplaces, books are just another product in a series of gadgets, holofiber pillows and rubber ducks, while a book requires a sales consultant in love with it, who will tell about the author, interest in the plot, and advise the right one. That's right, the problem is that the vast majority of people working in this field (who are not Jorge Carrion) do it for a nominal fee or on naked enthusiasm. And there is one more nuance. Mikhail Kotomin speaks about in the preface to the Russian edition: in Russia, with its vast spaces and many settlements where bookstores are absent or physically unable to ensure the availability of the necessary books, marketplaces are currently good to a greater extent than evil. This is also worth considering when starting to read.

"Fictional Libraries" is a collection of essays about books and love for them, about book people: famous, not very and practically unknown, about interesting and striking finds of the book trade. Here, under one cover, is an essay against bibliophilia, and for the glory of bookstores; a heartfelt story about his own collection of books; an essay about the researcher of modernism Walter Benjamin and about Jorge Luis Borges, an interview with the "Borges reader", who replaced the writer as head of the National Library of Argentina - Alberto Mangel. An interesting overview of Miami's book life with its diasporas, and wonderful reports on Japanese and Korean independent bookstores that gave the luxury book trade a shine.

To summarize: not bad reading for lovers of books from a person who knows how to earn money from his love for them (although not as much as the founders of marketplaces)).
Бодался теленок с дубом
Библиофилия – критическая и разделенная любовь к книгам, к их истории и к их историям, к их языку, к их способности к интеллектуальному, психологическому, моральному и духовному проникновению. Поэтому я не понимаю другую библиофилию – любовь к коллекционированию хрупких, дорогих и редких изданий.
А я не понимаю страсти к коллекционированию и чтению исключительно бумажных книг. Перечитала их на своем веку достаточно, чтобы оценить преимущества цифры и аудио. Чтение с экрана позволяет читать, не прибегая к очкам, аудиокниги делают его возможным в немыслимых для связки "книга-рука-глаза" условиях: на прогулке, за рулем, во время выполнения рутинной работы. Я ценю очарование независимых книжных, с их особой атмосферой, интересными событиями, и восхищаюсь работающими в этой сфере энтузиастами. И однако, не могу не вспоминать фильм «Вам письмо» с Мэг Райан и Томом Хэнксом, где владелица маленького книжного отчаянно пытается удержаться на плаву, в то время, как открывшийся по соседству сетевой книжный супермаркет практически выбрасывает ее из бизнеса. В той романтической комедии одинокий магнат и очаровательная владелица книжной лавки обмениваются электронными письмами, не подозревая, с кем общаются. Потому финальное слияние и поглощение маленького бизнеса не ухудшит положения героини Райан, которая станет супругой хозяина книжной империи. Только где ж на всех владельцев независимых книжных напастись Томами Хэнксами?

Испанскому писателю, критику и литературному обозревателю Хорхе Карриону, сотрудничество с такими медиа-монстрами, как Нью-Йорк Таймс и Нэшнл Джиографик не мешает примерять доспехи книжного Дон Кихота и борца с маркетплейсами, подмявшими под себя книжную торговлю. Оригинальное название "Вымышленных библиотек" Contra Amazon (против Амазон). Автор совершенно справедливо говорит о том, что для маркетплейсов книги - это всего лишь еще один товар в ряду гаджетов, подушек с холлофайбером и резиновых уточек, в то время, как книге требуется влюбленный в нее продавец-консультант, который расскажет об авторе, заинтересует сюжетом,посоветует подходящую. Все так, проблема в том, что абсолютное большинство работающих в этой сфере (кто не Хорхе Каррион) делают это за символическую плату или на голом энтузиазме. И есть еще один нюанс. о котором говорит в предисловии к русскому изданию Михаил Котомин: в России, с ее громадными пространствами и множеством населенных пунктов, где книжные магазины отсутствуют или физически не могут обеспечить наличия нужных книг, маркетплейсы на данный момент добро в большей степени, чем зло. Это тоже стоит учитывать, берясь за чтение.

"Вымышленные библиотеки" - сборник эссе о книгах и любви к ним, о книжных людях: знаменитых, не очень и практически неизвестных, об интересных и ярких находках книжной торговли. Здесь под одной обложкой очерк против библиофилии, и во славу книжных магазинов; прочувствованный рассказ о собственной коллекции книг; эссе об исследователе модернизма Вальтере Беньямине и о Хорхе Луисе Борхесе, интервью с "чтецом Борхеса", сменившем писателя на посту руководителя Национальной Библиотеки Аргентины - Альберто Мангелем. Интересный обзор книжной жизни Майами с ее диаспорами, и дивные репортажи о японских и корейских независимых книжных, придавших книготорговле лакшери-блеск.

Резюмируя: недурное чтение для влюбленных в книги от человека, умеющего на своей любви к ним зарабатывать (хотя и не столько, сколько основатели маркетплейсов)).

[Helion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Os melhores argumentos para valorizarmos os livros de papel, as pequenas editoras e as livrarias de bairro. E para deixarmos de comprar livros por grandes empresas que só visam o lucro imediato e a captura de dados pessoais sdos leitores. "Contra Amazon" é sobre o futuro e sobre as possíveis liberdades nele contidas.

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un joli, intéressant, et parfois poétique, manifeste contre Amazon. Je lis beaucoup d'articles et de livres (tel que Le Monde selon Amazon, Seasonal Associate et How to Resist Amazon and Why) et chaque fois, ce sont de nouveaux angles d'approches souvent uniques et intéressants qui soulignent l'exploitation de cette entreprise, ses dérives, les coûts humains, sur la chaîne du livre, etc.

Ce petit zine n'échappe pas à avoir sa perspective unique, à la fois un peu philosophique (il a quand même juste deux pages pour étayer l'argumentaire x 7 raisons différentes), poétique ; je suis encore surpris de découvrir des nouvelles affaires sur Amazon. Définitivement attaché à sa ville de Barcelone, Jorge Carrión arrive à communiquer beaucoup sur le changement de cette ville depuis l'installation d'Amazon. Que ce soit par la destruction du patrimoine ou la fermeture des librairies.
Parmi ces autres nouvelles découvertes que j'ai faite sur Amazon est la prolifération d'ouvrages pédophiles diffusé sous le couvert de liberté d'expression (j'étais évidemment déjà au courant des Mein Kampf vendu comme des petits pains). Il donne l'exemple d'une librairie néo-nazie Europa qui a fini par fermer pour incitation à la haine, mais Amazon vend les même livres sans conséquences. Je n'étais pas au courant non plus de l'espionnage des liseuses Kindle et de toutes les données qui sont accumulées sur les passages soulignés, le temps de lecture, etc. bien que j'aurais dû m'en douter un petit peu.

On regrettera juste un peu les passages sur la supériorité du livre papier sur le livrel ; je pense sincèrement que les deux comblent différents besoin.

Je me dois de comparer ce zine avec un autre lu récemment, How to Resist Amazon and Why, puisqu'il s'agit vraiment du jour et de la nuit (Contre Amazon étant franchement meilleur). Ce zine a non seulement décidé de s'investir comme bel objet, mais il ne s'agit pas d'un collage de gazouillis, il y a un vrai travail d'édition, de mise en page, de présentation graphique (qui semble même être différente d'une langue à l'autre). Ce zine présente une réflexion qui certes est très courte, mais est appuyée, référée et élargi la discussion au-delà d'une simple entreprise et de ses travers. Finalement, il y aussi ce travail poétique de la langue, de la réflexion, d'aller au-delà de présenter deux, trois faits et voilà fini. Bref, c'est définitivement une lecture beaucoup beaucoup plus intéressante.