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I troppi libri. Leggere e pubblicare in un'epoca di «abbondanza»
Un grande intellettuale messicano ci presenta una riflessione insieme ironica e partecipata sull'universo dei libri e sulle diverse figure che lo costellano: autori, editori, librai, lettori contribuiscono tutti, in questo avvio di XXI secolo, a un mondo sovraffollato di libri dove l'abbondanza rischia di soffocare la qualità e dove le parole scritte rischiano di superare quelle lette. Eppure questo disincantato sguardo sul mondo editoriale, leggero nello stile quanto lucido nell'analisi, si risolve in un paradossale ma convincente elogio di Babele.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Gabriel Zaid
64 books50 followersGabriel Zaid has been a member of the Mexican Academy of Language since 1986. He has distinguished himself for never appearing in public. A lot of his centre on poetry and and criticism of the literary establishment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
May 24, 2025
3, 5. Am volumul lui Zaid de mult timp, dar nu m-am învrednicit să scriu măcar un rînd despre el. O fac acum.
Eseul își respectă întru totul titlul. Grafomania umanităţii produce un milion de titluri pe an (p.9). De obicei, mulţimea neînchipuită a cărţilor trezeşte vinovăţii şi nelinişti. Aceste sentimente explică invenţia unor cărţi menite a da cititorului un sentiment de siguranţă: dicţionarele, enciclopediile, lexicoanele, bibliografiile. Dar siguranţa e precară şi iluzorie.
Rețin cîteva anecdote. Samuel Johnson scrie: nici un loc nu trezeşte un sentiment de mai mare deşertăciune şi zădărnicie decît biblioteca: lectura unui catalog și a autorilor deja căzuți în cea mai deplină uitare constituie o crudă lecţie de umilinţă (pp.18-19). Această producţie vertiginoasă de cărţi ne face tot mai neștiutori. Nu e nici un paradox la mijloc. Numărul cărţilor pe care NU le-am citit creşte vertiginos: cu fiecare carte nou tipărită devenim tot mai ignoranţi; cunoaștem tot mai puțin din întreg, o fracțiune dintr-o fracțiune. O exclamație a lui Baltasar Gracian: „E atît de mult de învăţat şi atît de puţin timp de trăit. Viaţa e prea scurtă” (p.22). Aforismul lui Gracian exprimă, mai degrabă, melancolie decît nelinişte.
În definitiv, orice experienţă a infinitului e, în realitate, una a finitudinii noastre... Dar sentimentul excesului livresc e mai vechi. Iată-l exprimat de Seneca în eseul De tranquillitate animi. Ad Serenum, IX: 4: „În privința culturii… trebuie să existe măsură. La ce bun nenumărate biblioteci cu grămezi de cărți, cînd stăpînul lor abia ajunge, în toată viața, să le parcurgă [doar] titlurile? (Quo innumerabiles libros et bybliothecas, quarum dominus vix tota vita indices perlegit?)”.
Eseul își respectă întru totul titlul. Grafomania umanităţii produce un milion de titluri pe an (p.9). De obicei, mulţimea neînchipuită a cărţilor trezeşte vinovăţii şi nelinişti. Aceste sentimente explică invenţia unor cărţi menite a da cititorului un sentiment de siguranţă: dicţionarele, enciclopediile, lexicoanele, bibliografiile. Dar siguranţa e precară şi iluzorie.
Rețin cîteva anecdote. Samuel Johnson scrie: nici un loc nu trezeşte un sentiment de mai mare deşertăciune şi zădărnicie decît biblioteca: lectura unui catalog și a autorilor deja căzuți în cea mai deplină uitare constituie o crudă lecţie de umilinţă (pp.18-19). Această producţie vertiginoasă de cărţi ne face tot mai neștiutori. Nu e nici un paradox la mijloc. Numărul cărţilor pe care NU le-am citit creşte vertiginos: cu fiecare carte nou tipărită devenim tot mai ignoranţi; cunoaștem tot mai puțin din întreg, o fracțiune dintr-o fracțiune. O exclamație a lui Baltasar Gracian: „E atît de mult de învăţat şi atît de puţin timp de trăit. Viaţa e prea scurtă” (p.22). Aforismul lui Gracian exprimă, mai degrabă, melancolie decît nelinişte.
În definitiv, orice experienţă a infinitului e, în realitate, una a finitudinii noastre... Dar sentimentul excesului livresc e mai vechi. Iată-l exprimat de Seneca în eseul De tranquillitate animi. Ad Serenum, IX: 4: „În privința culturii… trebuie să existe măsură. La ce bun nenumărate biblioteci cu grămezi de cărți, cînd stăpînul lor abia ajunge, în toată viața, să le parcurgă [doar] titlurile? (Quo innumerabiles libros et bybliothecas, quarum dominus vix tota vita indices perlegit?)”.
December 15, 2007
I got more from the first chapter (on why/how we read) than the rest of the book (a call to arms for publishers to curtail crappy writing). But basically I think the credo: 'What does it matter how cultivated and up to date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us, physically, more alive.' (p. 24) applies to any cultural activity and should be contemplated often.
July 24, 2016
Una de las cosas que más me maravillan de Gabriel Zaid es su capacidad de escribir tan claramente lo que es obvio para muchos y que aún así no notábamos de su existencia hasta leerlo en sus libros. En Los Demasiados Libros, Gabriel Zaid nos retrata el mundo lector, lo maravilloso que puede ser y quizás también lo triste, desesperante y cierto. Con sus palabras, nos lleva a observar este mundo desde diversas disciplinas que van desde la poesía hasta lo económico. De todo el libro rescato la forma en que Zaid ve la responsabilidad lectora, como debemos ser responsables de lo que leemos y cómo actuamos después de nuestras lecturas. Y el auge de escritores que se mueren por ser leídos pero que poco leen, que pareciera que sólo quieren el micrófono pero no se detienen a pensar en si realmente lo que dicen es porque tienen que decirlo. Cada vez hay más libros, más tesis, más ensayos de universitarios pero pocos de ellos han experimentado ese golpe que es la lectura, esa angustia, ese deseo increíble de buscar otro libro.
March 14, 2020
A small but useful book on writing and publishing. As an English major, I relate to Zaid's incisive comments about more people wanting to write than to read. I once conversed with a young woman at my school who changed her major--but not her career hopes for being a novelist--because the English major required too much reading. Sigh. While I agree that a ten-inch stack of paperbacks may be excessive for one class's assignments, I must say that non-readers are not to be trusted as writers. According to Zaid, reading requires a humility and interest in others' ideas that all writers must have if they wish to be taken seriously. I concur.
My biggest takeaway was Zaid's joyful acceptance of the fact that most published books should be printed in small batches and accept small readerships and have miniscule reprintings. The miracle of the reader finding the right book at the right time keeps happening.
So Many Books led me to reflect a bit on my reading habits over the past few years. I've greatly increased the volume of my reading, from ~4 books/month in 2014-2017 to 15+ books/month in 2018-2020. Most of this was a conscious decision on my part to read more, motivated by my realization that my whole life was more enjoyable when I read consistently. Part of it was a wholehearted acceptance of ebooks, audiobooks, and print books alike, to maximize the ways I could get and read books. Part of it was increasing my use of Goodreads, which informed me of great books and exponentially increased my inter-library loan requests.
As I've read more and more, I've only come across more and more books that I want to read. While I don't eschew bestsellers and new publications, I've also taken a deep dive into more "obscure" books simply for their unique delights. Many of these new niches and favorite authors/genres came about through Goodreads. Of my my top twelve books of 2019, seven of them first came to my attention through Goodreads. Thanks to this website, I now know that I love sweeping family dramas set in Asia written by women; I've finally delved into historical mysteries and found them enjoyable; I've discovered my literary crack, bibliomemoirs; and I've grown to love books on natural history and the history of gardening.
With all this reading, my attitude toward writing has changed. Being a published writer, while on the realm of my imaginative horizons, has never been a heart-held goal of mine. Yet, writing a full manuscript and publishing it seems more possible to me than it did in the past. Reading so much, and so widely, has developed my taste, my critical skill, my editing eye. Beyond that, it's been deeply enjoyable and expanding in my personal life, which has got to count for something as a potential future writer. Since I expend all my wordy energy on academia these days (long gone are the halcyon days of creative writing for class!), I can't say if my writing has improved by reading. But my taste has improved. I've always been my own harshest critic when it comes to writing, and now my writing has to live up to my taste. Unsure if I can live up to my own standards, will revisit once this thesis is done and defended.
"The participation of the whole world in a conversation doesn't enrich the dialogue; it diminishes it." (33) me @ Twitter, Reddit, and all virtual hive minds
"The desire to follow a conversation you don't understand is a healthy sign, not an indication of lack of preparation. Discipline is good in the service of desire, not in place of desire. Without desire, there is no living culture." (43)
"A young writer dreams of writing novels, but feels he isn't ready. He is advised to read the great novelists, but in the originals. He becomes enamored of Dostoyevsky, and twenty years later, instead of a novelist, he has become a translator from the Russian. Or...twenty years later he isn't a novelist but a professor of semiotics. What someone should really say to him is this: What novels have you read that you couldn't put down?...Don't bury yourself in the history of the theory of the novel without having first fallen under the spell of fiction, without having been seized by the creative thrill of novels." (44) The theory of things often unlocks their power for me--I didn't read a ton of fiction until after taking a course on the history of the novel, or read any poetry until I learned how to write it--but I love Zaid's point. For me, the spell begins with the theory, but is only powerful when I'm "seized by the creative thrill."
My biggest takeaway was Zaid's joyful acceptance of the fact that most published books should be printed in small batches and accept small readerships and have miniscule reprintings. The miracle of the reader finding the right book at the right time keeps happening.
So Many Books led me to reflect a bit on my reading habits over the past few years. I've greatly increased the volume of my reading, from ~4 books/month in 2014-2017 to 15+ books/month in 2018-2020. Most of this was a conscious decision on my part to read more, motivated by my realization that my whole life was more enjoyable when I read consistently. Part of it was a wholehearted acceptance of ebooks, audiobooks, and print books alike, to maximize the ways I could get and read books. Part of it was increasing my use of Goodreads, which informed me of great books and exponentially increased my inter-library loan requests.
As I've read more and more, I've only come across more and more books that I want to read. While I don't eschew bestsellers and new publications, I've also taken a deep dive into more "obscure" books simply for their unique delights. Many of these new niches and favorite authors/genres came about through Goodreads. Of my my top twelve books of 2019, seven of them first came to my attention through Goodreads. Thanks to this website, I now know that I love sweeping family dramas set in Asia written by women; I've finally delved into historical mysteries and found them enjoyable; I've discovered my literary crack, bibliomemoirs; and I've grown to love books on natural history and the history of gardening.
With all this reading, my attitude toward writing has changed. Being a published writer, while on the realm of my imaginative horizons, has never been a heart-held goal of mine. Yet, writing a full manuscript and publishing it seems more possible to me than it did in the past. Reading so much, and so widely, has developed my taste, my critical skill, my editing eye. Beyond that, it's been deeply enjoyable and expanding in my personal life, which has got to count for something as a potential future writer. Since I expend all my wordy energy on academia these days (long gone are the halcyon days of creative writing for class!), I can't say if my writing has improved by reading. But my taste has improved. I've always been my own harshest critic when it comes to writing, and now my writing has to live up to my taste. Unsure if I can live up to my own standards, will revisit once this thesis is done and defended.
"The participation of the whole world in a conversation doesn't enrich the dialogue; it diminishes it." (33) me @ Twitter, Reddit, and all virtual hive minds
"The desire to follow a conversation you don't understand is a healthy sign, not an indication of lack of preparation. Discipline is good in the service of desire, not in place of desire. Without desire, there is no living culture." (43)
"A young writer dreams of writing novels, but feels he isn't ready. He is advised to read the great novelists, but in the originals. He becomes enamored of Dostoyevsky, and twenty years later, instead of a novelist, he has become a translator from the Russian. Or...twenty years later he isn't a novelist but a professor of semiotics. What someone should really say to him is this: What novels have you read that you couldn't put down?...Don't bury yourself in the history of the theory of the novel without having first fallen under the spell of fiction, without having been seized by the creative thrill of novels." (44) The theory of things often unlocks their power for me--I didn't read a ton of fiction until after taking a course on the history of the novel, or read any poetry until I learned how to write it--but I love Zaid's point. For me, the spell begins with the theory, but is only powerful when I'm "seized by the creative thrill."
January 9, 2022
En un mundo ideal, cada libro encontraría al lector para el que fue escrito. Pero la realidad no funciona así y Zaid nos explica porqué hay tantos libros que se quedan sin sus lectores objetivo, que permanecen en bodega; porqué a veces nos cuesta tanto encontrar un libro. En pocas palabras, nos habla del negocio y la logística de los libros para los editores, autores, libreros y lectores.
En un mar infinito de libros ¿cómo encontrar aquel libro que nos consuele, nos hagas soñar o sonreír? Este libro nos recuerda la imposibilidad de leer todos los libros que quisiéramos, y cómo hallar en medio del caos aquellos libros que nos cambian la vida. Porque en estos ensayos Zaid nos demuestra lo caótico, comercial y fortuito que puede ser el proceso para que un lector encuentre un libro. De ahí la importancia de los mediadores, que pueden contribuir a propiciar este encuentro feliz. Me recordó porqué me encanta hablar de libros en las redes: para ser un puente entre los lectores y libros, contribuir a ese encuentro que quizás de otra forma no se produciría.
Hace unos años, cuando iba en la preparatoria, una maestra organizaba la publicación de una antología donde reunía cuentos publicados por los alumnos. Y uno de mis compañeros autores, durante la presentación, declaró que a él no le gustaba leer ni interés tenía en hacerlo: pero le apasionaba escribir. Zaid aborda con estadísticas el creciente deseo de las personas en publicar, en escribir, en ser leídos: pero menos personas están dispuestas a escuchar a los demás, interesadas en qué tienen que decir las personas a su alrededor. Nadie tiene el tiempo, el dinero ni la energía en iniciar un diálogo: solo interés en recibir atención.
La única pega que le pongo es que a lo largo del libro, había momentos donde experimentaba una ligera incomodidad cuando Zaid analizaba el libro bajo el aspecto comercial. Soy consciente de que el libro es un producto pero frecuentemente me pareció ver una completa ausencia de consciencia de clase, o incluso de empatía, en sus análisis. Era como si valorara el libro viviendo en España o Estados Unidos, no desde el contexto latinoamericano. Lo cual me parece muy extraño: para valorar la condición del libro en México debemos de tener en cuenta las condiciones socioeconómicas latinoamericanas. Si bien la globalización ha cambiado ciertos esquemas, ciertamente el libro tiene dinámicas diferentes en los países anglosajones que en Latinoamérica.
En cualquier caso, también son atinadas sus observaciones capitalistas acerca del libro. Porque el libro es otro producto comercial: si no fuera negocio, no existiría una industria detrás de él. Y aunque a veces me exasperaban sus conclusiones, también hace muchos años les encontré sentido. Es sólo que ahora me brinca que encontremos soluciones capitalistas que respondan a problemas capitalistas, en vez de atrevernos a soñar nuevos esquemas.
En un mar infinito de libros ¿cómo encontrar aquel libro que nos consuele, nos hagas soñar o sonreír? Este libro nos recuerda la imposibilidad de leer todos los libros que quisiéramos, y cómo hallar en medio del caos aquellos libros que nos cambian la vida. Porque en estos ensayos Zaid nos demuestra lo caótico, comercial y fortuito que puede ser el proceso para que un lector encuentre un libro. De ahí la importancia de los mediadores, que pueden contribuir a propiciar este encuentro feliz. Me recordó porqué me encanta hablar de libros en las redes: para ser un puente entre los lectores y libros, contribuir a ese encuentro que quizás de otra forma no se produciría.
Hace unos años, cuando iba en la preparatoria, una maestra organizaba la publicación de una antología donde reunía cuentos publicados por los alumnos. Y uno de mis compañeros autores, durante la presentación, declaró que a él no le gustaba leer ni interés tenía en hacerlo: pero le apasionaba escribir. Zaid aborda con estadísticas el creciente deseo de las personas en publicar, en escribir, en ser leídos: pero menos personas están dispuestas a escuchar a los demás, interesadas en qué tienen que decir las personas a su alrededor. Nadie tiene el tiempo, el dinero ni la energía en iniciar un diálogo: solo interés en recibir atención.
La única pega que le pongo es que a lo largo del libro, había momentos donde experimentaba una ligera incomodidad cuando Zaid analizaba el libro bajo el aspecto comercial. Soy consciente de que el libro es un producto pero frecuentemente me pareció ver una completa ausencia de consciencia de clase, o incluso de empatía, en sus análisis. Era como si valorara el libro viviendo en España o Estados Unidos, no desde el contexto latinoamericano. Lo cual me parece muy extraño: para valorar la condición del libro en México debemos de tener en cuenta las condiciones socioeconómicas latinoamericanas. Si bien la globalización ha cambiado ciertos esquemas, ciertamente el libro tiene dinámicas diferentes en los países anglosajones que en Latinoamérica.
En cualquier caso, también son atinadas sus observaciones capitalistas acerca del libro. Porque el libro es otro producto comercial: si no fuera negocio, no existiría una industria detrás de él. Y aunque a veces me exasperaban sus conclusiones, también hace muchos años les encontré sentido. Es sólo que ahora me brinca que encontremos soluciones capitalistas que respondan a problemas capitalistas, en vez de atrevernos a soñar nuevos esquemas.
May 23, 2008
This is where I admit to having a serious addiction to books. Not to mention a deep and abiding curiosity about the mysteries of books; about the metrics of production and all of those conversations between writers and readers.
I really enjoyed this book. So much is contained within its 144 pages that I need to purchase my own copy.
After all, 'if every private library is a reading plan' then the chaos that is my plan is clearly, umm, a plan undergoing continuous improvement.
I really enjoyed this book. So much is contained within its 144 pages that I need to purchase my own copy.
After all, 'if every private library is a reading plan' then the chaos that is my plan is clearly, umm, a plan undergoing continuous improvement.
December 15, 2016
Pequenos ensaios sobre livros, futuro e passado do mercado editorial e o relacionamento livro-leitor-editor. Cada ensaio é uma 'conversa' que em grande maioria é imparcial - um deles eu achei um pouco romantizada -, mas no fim todos são gostosos de ler :)
February 8, 2016
Con este libro me pasó algo que me ha sucedido pocas veces. No entiendo el tono, no sé si es gracioso, o ardido, si está hablando en serio o en broma. Pero me costó mucho trabajo mantener la atención. No me interesa leer por ser "culta" así que un libro que dice eso, por más que sea Gabriel Zaid, a quien le tengo respeto (le tengo mucho cariño a una compilación de poesía mexicana que hizo, pero no he leído nada más), aunque tampoco puedo decir que lo conozco tanto.
El caso es que me costó trabajo mantener el interés, y después la atención en todos los datos que parecían no terminar nunca. Creo que es más de interés para libreros, a quienes yo sí les tengo mucha fe, que para lectores. No se, como que contabilizar el tiempo que necesitas para leer todo lo que se publica en definitiva no es algo que ocupa mi atención.
El caso es que me costó trabajo mantener el interés, y después la atención en todos los datos que parecían no terminar nunca. Creo que es más de interés para libreros, a quienes yo sí les tengo mucha fe, que para lectores. No se, como que contabilizar el tiempo que necesitas para leer todo lo que se publica en definitiva no es algo que ocupa mi atención.
August 29, 2017
Sākumā šī grāmata man šķita pasausa, parasti netiku galā ar vairāk kā pāris lappusēm, kad mans monkey-mind jau sāka kkur peldēt. Un tad pēkšņi iestājās lūzums, un otru pusi nolauzu divos piegājienos. Šis ir vairāk akadēmisks skatījums uz grāmatām, rakstīšanu un lasīšanu, runājot par to, vai tas ir labi vai slikti, ka mūsdienās vairāk ir to, kas grib publicēties, nekā to, kas grib lasīt, ka grāmatas tiek drukātas vairāk, nekā mežā sēnes (vai zvaigznes debesīs), un ka vairāk nekā puse no tā ir totāla makulatūra. Bet autors tomēr nezaudē optimismu, ka labas un vajadzīgas grāmatas ir un būs un ka būs darbs arī grāmatu veikaliem un izdevējiem, kas nespiež tikai uz bestselleriem, bet mēģina būt tie starpnieki starp ideālo grāmatu un ideālo lasītāju. Laba lasāmviela, ja gribas paskatīties uz tēmu no nopietnāka skatupunkta (droši vien īpaši noderīga topošajiem izdevējiem un grāmatu tirgoņiem).
July 9, 2021
Reseña en Español | English review below
“Hay más libros que estrellas en una noche en alta mar. En esa inmensidad, ¿cómo puede un lector encontrar una constelación personal, esos libros que mueven su vida a conversar con el universo? ¿Y cómo puede un libro, entre millones, encontrar sus lectores? (...) Y, sin embargo, una y otra vez se produce el milagro: un libro encuentra su lector, un lector encuentra su libro” .
¿Se necesita decir algo más?
Este es un libro de un lector para otro lector; una conversación entre compradores compulsivos de libros; entre quienes comparten una adicción. Si bien Gabriel Zaid describe varios aspectos relacionados con los libros -desde la lectura, la adquisición, la escritura y la publicación, este ensayo no deja de ser un homenaje a quienes padecemos el vicio de la lectura, en las propias palabras del autor, pero un vicio que da felicidad y que nos libera.
No todo el texto tiene el mismo ritmo, y sin embargo considero que es poética la manera en que Zaid habla sobre los libros: hay cierta nostalgia ante el hecho de saber que, según las estadísticas, necesitaríamos 300,000 años para leer todo lo que se ha publicado y que el lector promedio no puede leer más de 200 títulos al año. Esto puede resultar desesperanzador y sin embargo, seguimos comprando libros y los editores siguen publicando. ¿Por qué? Quizá porque si bien nunca podremos leer todo -y lo sabemos- vamos en búsqueda de esa libertad que nos hace continuar y progresar. Esta es una interpretación personal y creo que el autor no ofrece una respuesta contundente al respecto. Como todo buen ensayista, plantea la pregunta y ofrece opciones de respuesta.
Otro dato interesante que comparte es que, a pesar que se llevan un siglo anunciando la desaparición del libro -que si el radio, la televisión, el cine, los aparatos electrónicos- la realidad demuestra lo contrario: hoy se publican más libros que nunca, en todos los países. Y eso que no todos tienen los mismos índices de lectura per capita. Seguimos, a través de los siglos, construyendo una Biblioteca de Babel, infinita, sí y abrumadora, pero que continúa enriqueciendo a la humanidad por medio de la diversidad.
Porque como insinúa Zaid leer nos hace físicamente más reales. ¿Y cómo puede uno evitar no emocionarse con la idea, incluso sentirse menos solo, de que hay una constelación de estrellas, de libros, que esperan ser descubiertos por nosotros pero que también está esperando descubrirnos?
_____________________________________-
“There are more books than there are stars at night over the sea. In that immensity, how can a reader find his or her personal constellation, those books that move his or her life to talk with the universe? And how can a book, among millions, find its readers? (…) And, nevertheless, the miracle occurs over and over again: a book finds its reader, a reader finds its book” (The translation is mine).
Do I need to say more?
This is a book from a reader to another; a conversation among compulsive book buyers who share an addiction. In this essay, Gabriel Zaid describes different aspects related to books –from reading, buying, writing and publishing; however, this text is nothing but a homage to those who share the addition to reading –in the author’s own words – a vice, yes, but one that gives joys and frees us.
I believe the text does not have the same tone and, regardless of this, I think there is something poetic on the way Zaid talks about books: there is some kind of nostalgia on knowing that, according to statistics, we would need more than 300,000 years to read everything that has been published to date and that the normal reader cannot read more than 200 books per year. This might sound hopeless but nevertheless, we keep buying books and editors continue publishing (though the kind of material is another story). But, what is the explanation for this? Maybe because even though we cannot read everything –and we are fully aware of it– we are going in search of that freedom that makes us progress in life. This is a personal interpretation and I think the author does not provide a unique answer on this. As every good essay writer, he puts the question and gives possible answers for us to decide.
Another interesting fact is that, though the death of the book has been announced for more than a century –because the radio, the TV, the movies, the new technological devices – reality shows quite the opposite: today, the number of books published is higher than ever before, everywhere, regardless of the different books read per capita in every country. This means that we have continued building, over the centuries, a Library of Babel –infinite, yes, and overwhelming for sure, but that continues to enrich humanity through diversity.
Because, as Zaid puts it, reading makes us physically more real. And how can one help but fall in love with the idea, feeling less alone, that there’s a constellation of stars, of books, that is waiting to be discovered by us and who is also waiting to discover us?
“Hay más libros que estrellas en una noche en alta mar. En esa inmensidad, ¿cómo puede un lector encontrar una constelación personal, esos libros que mueven su vida a conversar con el universo? ¿Y cómo puede un libro, entre millones, encontrar sus lectores? (...) Y, sin embargo, una y otra vez se produce el milagro: un libro encuentra su lector, un lector encuentra su libro” .
¿Se necesita decir algo más?
Este es un libro de un lector para otro lector; una conversación entre compradores compulsivos de libros; entre quienes comparten una adicción. Si bien Gabriel Zaid describe varios aspectos relacionados con los libros -desde la lectura, la adquisición, la escritura y la publicación, este ensayo no deja de ser un homenaje a quienes padecemos el vicio de la lectura, en las propias palabras del autor, pero un vicio que da felicidad y que nos libera.
No todo el texto tiene el mismo ritmo, y sin embargo considero que es poética la manera en que Zaid habla sobre los libros: hay cierta nostalgia ante el hecho de saber que, según las estadísticas, necesitaríamos 300,000 años para leer todo lo que se ha publicado y que el lector promedio no puede leer más de 200 títulos al año. Esto puede resultar desesperanzador y sin embargo, seguimos comprando libros y los editores siguen publicando. ¿Por qué? Quizá porque si bien nunca podremos leer todo -y lo sabemos- vamos en búsqueda de esa libertad que nos hace continuar y progresar. Esta es una interpretación personal y creo que el autor no ofrece una respuesta contundente al respecto. Como todo buen ensayista, plantea la pregunta y ofrece opciones de respuesta.
Otro dato interesante que comparte es que, a pesar que se llevan un siglo anunciando la desaparición del libro -que si el radio, la televisión, el cine, los aparatos electrónicos- la realidad demuestra lo contrario: hoy se publican más libros que nunca, en todos los países. Y eso que no todos tienen los mismos índices de lectura per capita. Seguimos, a través de los siglos, construyendo una Biblioteca de Babel, infinita, sí y abrumadora, pero que continúa enriqueciendo a la humanidad por medio de la diversidad.
Porque como insinúa Zaid leer nos hace físicamente más reales. ¿Y cómo puede uno evitar no emocionarse con la idea, incluso sentirse menos solo, de que hay una constelación de estrellas, de libros, que esperan ser descubiertos por nosotros pero que también está esperando descubrirnos?
_____________________________________-
“There are more books than there are stars at night over the sea. In that immensity, how can a reader find his or her personal constellation, those books that move his or her life to talk with the universe? And how can a book, among millions, find its readers? (…) And, nevertheless, the miracle occurs over and over again: a book finds its reader, a reader finds its book” (The translation is mine).
Do I need to say more?
This is a book from a reader to another; a conversation among compulsive book buyers who share an addiction. In this essay, Gabriel Zaid describes different aspects related to books –from reading, buying, writing and publishing; however, this text is nothing but a homage to those who share the addition to reading –in the author’s own words – a vice, yes, but one that gives joys and frees us.
I believe the text does not have the same tone and, regardless of this, I think there is something poetic on the way Zaid talks about books: there is some kind of nostalgia on knowing that, according to statistics, we would need more than 300,000 years to read everything that has been published to date and that the normal reader cannot read more than 200 books per year. This might sound hopeless but nevertheless, we keep buying books and editors continue publishing (though the kind of material is another story). But, what is the explanation for this? Maybe because even though we cannot read everything –and we are fully aware of it– we are going in search of that freedom that makes us progress in life. This is a personal interpretation and I think the author does not provide a unique answer on this. As every good essay writer, he puts the question and gives possible answers for us to decide.
Another interesting fact is that, though the death of the book has been announced for more than a century –because the radio, the TV, the movies, the new technological devices – reality shows quite the opposite: today, the number of books published is higher than ever before, everywhere, regardless of the different books read per capita in every country. This means that we have continued building, over the centuries, a Library of Babel –infinite, yes, and overwhelming for sure, but that continues to enrich humanity through diversity.
Because, as Zaid puts it, reading makes us physically more real. And how can one help but fall in love with the idea, feeling less alone, that there’s a constellation of stars, of books, that is waiting to be discovered by us and who is also waiting to discover us?
February 25, 2011
A book that bemoans overpublishing, which itself is an example of the problem.
I did like the cover, though.
I did like the cover, though.
January 10, 2023
Toliko knjig! mehiškega pisatelja je neleposlovno delo, zanimivo predvsem za pisatelje, zaposlene v knjižni panogi in res strastne bralce. Predvsem gre za kar odprto kritiko vsem, ki želijo pisati, saj pisatelj meni, da je knjig odločno preveč. Kar 81% Američanov si želi napisati knjigo, predvsem visoko izobraženih. Vsi bi radi povedali svojo zgodbo in vsak si želi izdati uspešnico, te pa niso tako zelo pogoste.
Sicer je v knjigi precej zanimivosti o branju in knjigi v zgodovini. Je pa knjiga starejšega letnika, kar se tiče Slovenije, so notri še tolarji in mi je bilo kar težko preračunati podatke v evre, a bi rekla, da je cena knjiga danes precej dražja kot dve uri povprečne plače.
Iz knjige:
Knjig je na voljo več kot zvezd na nočnem nebu nad prostranimi morji. Kako naj bralec najde svoje ozvezdje, knjige, ki bodo njegovemu življenju omogočile povezavo z vesoljem? In kako naj ena sama knjiga med milijoni najde svoje bralce?
Pisatelj sicer nima odgovora na to vprašanje, celo pošali se, da bi potreboval vedeževalca za takšen odgovor.
Kakorkoli, precej zanimivih dejstev sem razbrala iz te knjige in bilo je poučno branje in takšno, ki odpira več tem za razprave in pogovore.
Sicer je v knjigi precej zanimivosti o branju in knjigi v zgodovini. Je pa knjiga starejšega letnika, kar se tiče Slovenije, so notri še tolarji in mi je bilo kar težko preračunati podatke v evre, a bi rekla, da je cena knjiga danes precej dražja kot dve uri povprečne plače.
Iz knjige:
Knjig je na voljo več kot zvezd na nočnem nebu nad prostranimi morji. Kako naj bralec najde svoje ozvezdje, knjige, ki bodo njegovemu življenju omogočile povezavo z vesoljem? In kako naj ena sama knjiga med milijoni najde svoje bralce?
Pisatelj sicer nima odgovora na to vprašanje, celo pošali se, da bi potreboval vedeževalca za takšen odgovor.
Kakorkoli, precej zanimivih dejstev sem razbrala iz te knjige in bilo je poučno branje in takšno, ki odpira več tem za razprave in pogovore.
October 21, 2019
Osad, mis arutlevad raamatu kui meediumi üle, on lustlikud ning hästi loetavad. Küll aga jäid veidi igavaks ja ka segaseks "majandus-teoreetilisemad" peatükid, mis on raskesti jälgitavad. Võimalik et midagi on ka tõlkes kaduma läinud.
See on igatahes kindel, et raamatuid on tõepoolest liiga palju. Zaid aga teeb selle paljususe mõnusaks basseiniks, kus on hea väikese inimesena varbaid kasta.
See on igatahes kindel, et raamatuid on tõepoolest liiga palju. Zaid aga teeb selle paljususe mõnusaks basseiniks, kus on hea väikese inimesena varbaid kasta.
November 3, 2022
Un libro con datos bastante interesantes al igual que sus reflexiones. En la segunda mitad me parece que es más adecuado para libreros y editores, pero igual es disfrutable.
May 9, 2015
As much as I like books on reading and readers, this one is really lame and shallow. Between one and two stars. Half of the book's content is in the title - yes, there are many books in this world, so what? There are also many kinds of food and clothing, many tv stations, MANY is all around us in the consumerist society - but we manage somehow, don't we? Not to mention many men and women, but most of us find partner(s) ... It is all a question of choice - we have to know which book to pick. We should be educated enough to know how to choose - this is something the author doesn't stress enough in my opinion
There is also a point that I don't agree with - tha author writes that, when we say we should all read books, we don't take into account that all books cannot be read!!! But who mentioned reading ALL books in the first place? When we say everybody should read, in my opinion, we think about people's ability to be readres in the best possible way for them, to be more or less capable of immersing themselves into the text, understanding it in their own way, and, if one is lucky, becoming different, even maybe better individuals, in the process of reading and thinking about the text.
There is just one one really good quote worth noting and remembering:
“What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us, physically, more alive.”
This is the way I understand the quote - books can change our lives, who we are, how we think, feel, or what we do. And this is what is really important. For readers to get something out of books. Not just pure enjoyment. Although that can also be good sometimes! We readers don't have to always be very hard on ourselves....
All in all, one should not forget why reading is important. It is the best path - other than stimulating intellectual conversation which occurs rarely or never - to critical thinking, re-thinking ourselves and the world around us, as well as the tension between ourselves and the world.
There is also a point that I don't agree with - tha author writes that, when we say we should all read books, we don't take into account that all books cannot be read!!! But who mentioned reading ALL books in the first place? When we say everybody should read, in my opinion, we think about people's ability to be readres in the best possible way for them, to be more or less capable of immersing themselves into the text, understanding it in their own way, and, if one is lucky, becoming different, even maybe better individuals, in the process of reading and thinking about the text.
There is just one one really good quote worth noting and remembering:
“What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us, physically, more alive.”
This is the way I understand the quote - books can change our lives, who we are, how we think, feel, or what we do. And this is what is really important. For readers to get something out of books. Not just pure enjoyment. Although that can also be good sometimes! We readers don't have to always be very hard on ourselves....
All in all, one should not forget why reading is important. It is the best path - other than stimulating intellectual conversation which occurs rarely or never - to critical thinking, re-thinking ourselves and the world around us, as well as the tension between ourselves and the world.
July 12, 2008
Zaid's book is a small gem. Translated from the original Spanish, this is a insightful and erudite discussion of the significance of reading as a pillar of culture, the current and future state of of publishing, and the continuing viability and importance of the printed book in a world of e-texts and online publishing. Zaid has a great many worthwhile things to say, and he says them well in a concise manner.
Among the many things he points out is that the biggest cost in reading is not the price of the book, but the time the reader must invest in the finding and reading of an author’s work. Another theme that he develops in the book is the fact that many people now want to be read even more than they want to read. He makes the point well in this passage:
Yet he also clearly celebrates the fact that writing and reading represents an important conversation that is the essence of human culture, and applauds the great diversity of writing and publishing that exists and (he believes) will continue to exist despite the ever-expanding influence of the Internet and online texts.
In short, this is an excellent little book that definitely does not waste the readers' time.
Among the many things he points out is that the biggest cost in reading is not the price of the book, but the time the reader must invest in the finding and reading of an author’s work. Another theme that he develops in the book is the fact that many people now want to be read even more than they want to read. He makes the point well in this passage:
As the university-educated population grows, it is not so much the number of those who read that increases, but the number of those who want to be read…. If all those who wanted to be read would actually read, there would be an unprecedented boom, because never have so many millions of people dreamed of being published. But the hardly pleasant narcissism of “read me and I’ll read you” has degenerated into a narcissism that isn’t even reciprocal: Don’t ask me to pay attention to you; pay attention to me.
Yet he also clearly celebrates the fact that writing and reading represents an important conversation that is the essence of human culture, and applauds the great diversity of writing and publishing that exists and (he believes) will continue to exist despite the ever-expanding influence of the Internet and online texts.
In short, this is an excellent little book that definitely does not waste the readers' time.
March 8, 2015
Obligāts lasāmais visiem grāmatniekiem - izdevējiem, pārdevējiem, rakstniekiem, un tiem, kuri kādreiz ir gribējuši par tādiem kļūt.
Īsi, koncentrēti un ļoti gudri pārspriedumi par grāmatu "būtību" komercijas, kultūras un vēsturiskajā kontekstā.
Aizmirstiet romantizēto skatu uz grāmatu kā svēto objektu. Tā saucamo "rakstnieku" tagad ir tik daudz, un pasaule ir piesārņota ar literatūru, kurai pastāv iespēja palikt nelasītai. Un kādēļ lai mēs turpinātu rakstīt un izdot jaunas grāmatas??
Īsi, koncentrēti un ļoti gudri pārspriedumi par grāmatu "būtību" komercijas, kultūras un vēsturiskajā kontekstā.
Aizmirstiet romantizēto skatu uz grāmatu kā svēto objektu. Tā saucamo "rakstnieku" tagad ir tik daudz, un pasaule ir piesārņota ar literatūru, kurai pastāv iespēja palikt nelasītai. Un kādēļ lai mēs turpinātu rakstīt un izdot jaunas grāmatas??
December 17, 2017
For those like me with an expanding "to be read" pile it is interesting to find I am not alone in my affliction. Love books, love reading. Though trite and rambling and repetitive in places (despite being quite short) the topics of reading, writing and publishing are explored with some fascinating conclusions. Serious book nut? Give it a look.
July 27, 2017
Repetive. This already is a slight book and you could have easily cut half without losing anything.
August 15, 2018
Interesante para quienes aman la lectura, lanza dos o tres invectivas contra las pretensiones, divertido y elocuente
September 15, 2021
Un auténtico tributo al placer de los libros, que abarca desde el proceso de producción hasta su lectura. Zaid nos ofrece una perspectiva multidimensional sobre el mundo del libro; con su vocación aforística nos reta a repensar la tentación por escribir por encima de la fascinación y necesidad de leer, y nos invita a la reflexión sobre la pertinencia de una industria del libro. Quienes mal leen encontrarán en este ensayo un llano estadístico; quienes padecen del gozo de leer, se hallarán en un refugio metaliterario.
January 1, 2023
Crítico, burlón y entusiasta, Gabriel Zaid nos expone la banalidad de la vanidad intelectual con la desproporción numérica entre libros y su consumo. Lo importante es la conversación en torno a los libros, no en cuanto a la cantidad que se lee.
Existe una versión actualizada del 2022 pero supongo que, en esencia, se mantiene con el espíritu mordaz que lo caracteriza y sólo agrega nuevos datos para acentuar aún más sus argumentos. Qué bien se inició el año.
Existe una versión actualizada del 2022 pero supongo que, en esencia, se mantiene con el espíritu mordaz que lo caracteriza y sólo agrega nuevos datos para acentuar aún más sus argumentos. Qué bien se inició el año.
April 28, 2026
A beautiful meditation on reading and books. I was surprised to find so much practical advice I can apply working in the bookstore, to help readers navigate the chaos and find books that matter to them.
July 2, 2024
i ❤️ gabriel zaid
May 31, 2017
An interesting take (this is more a large essay rather than a true full piece of work) on books, the publishing industry, and their future. Specifically in regards to over-publishing, over-production, and slightly touching on the future insofar as technology is involved (eBooks, Kindles, etc.).
A bit dated but not too much (read: 2002), it does figure and factor in Amazon, eBooks, internet, etc. The hypertextual ideas it talks about at the end is basically Wikipedia which is what it never really touches upon.
The work does touch upon the pure avalanche of novels being published each year and our inability to read even 1/5000th of it all. I often think about that now; where if I was born say 50 years ago, I'd never have gotten to read 99.9% of what I've read now (sure, some of the classics like Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Walt Whitman, etc, I could; but the point stands).
And to think 100 years from now, just how many MORE pieces of work there will be; and this can then even be expanded to include all media (ie. TV, Movies, artwork, even YouTube channels, etc.). Each successive generation will have more and more pieces of work to read/watch/review etc than the generation before it. Exponentially. I often think about all of the books I won't be able to read because they'll be written AFTER my death, and even the books already written DURING my lifetime that I'll never get the time to read.
Who knows, maybe someday there will be a way to read it all? One can only hope.
A bit dated but not too much (read: 2002), it does figure and factor in Amazon, eBooks, internet, etc. The hypertextual ideas it talks about at the end is basically Wikipedia which is what it never really touches upon.
The work does touch upon the pure avalanche of novels being published each year and our inability to read even 1/5000th of it all. I often think about that now; where if I was born say 50 years ago, I'd never have gotten to read 99.9% of what I've read now (sure, some of the classics like Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Walt Whitman, etc, I could; but the point stands).
And to think 100 years from now, just how many MORE pieces of work there will be; and this can then even be expanded to include all media (ie. TV, Movies, artwork, even YouTube channels, etc.). Each successive generation will have more and more pieces of work to read/watch/review etc than the generation before it. Exponentially. I often think about all of the books I won't be able to read because they'll be written AFTER my death, and even the books already written DURING my lifetime that I'll never get the time to read.
Who knows, maybe someday there will be a way to read it all? One can only hope.
Read
March 14, 2021See on väga kitsa nišiga ja väga kindlale sihtgrupile kirjutatud (kirjastajad, kirjanikud), seega ei pea ma end piisavalt pädevaks anda sellele hinnangut.
Samas peale lugemist tekkis nii positiivne kui ka negatiivne maik:
+ 2003. aastal ilmus iga 30 sekundi järel uus raamat (e aastaga üle 1 mln nimetuse) ning kui inimene oleks elukutseline lugeja (loeks 1 raamatu keskmiselt 4 päevaga läbi e aastaga ca 200 raamatut), siis kuluks tal ikkagi veel u 25 000 AASTAT, et kõik ilmunud nimetused läbi lugeda.
-> seega ei tasu põdeda, et “ma pole seda klassikat veel jõudnud läbi lugeda” jne. Üks keskmine inimene ei jõua lugeda läbi isegi 1% läbi aegade ilmunud raamatuid. Loe vaid neid raamatuid, mis meelepärased on, sest lugemisele kulutatud aeg võiks olla võimalikult kasulikult sisustatud.
- Iga aastaga tuleb rohkem kirjutajaid kui lugejaid. Seega ka ilmuvate nimetuste arv kasvav metsikult, mis muudab Paabeli raamatukogu küll mitmekesisemaks (sest kasvõi mingi veidra hobi kohta kirjutatud raamatule leidub üle maailma ikka umbes 1000 lugejat), ent tekitab mõneti ka “raamatute inflatsiooni”.
Seega soovituslik esseelugemine tuletamaks meelde, et ei pea ega jõua lugeda läbi kõiki maailma raamatuid.
Samas peale lugemist tekkis nii positiivne kui ka negatiivne maik:
+ 2003. aastal ilmus iga 30 sekundi järel uus raamat (e aastaga üle 1 mln nimetuse) ning kui inimene oleks elukutseline lugeja (loeks 1 raamatu keskmiselt 4 päevaga läbi e aastaga ca 200 raamatut), siis kuluks tal ikkagi veel u 25 000 AASTAT, et kõik ilmunud nimetused läbi lugeda.
-> seega ei tasu põdeda, et “ma pole seda klassikat veel jõudnud läbi lugeda” jne. Üks keskmine inimene ei jõua lugeda läbi isegi 1% läbi aegade ilmunud raamatuid. Loe vaid neid raamatuid, mis meelepärased on, sest lugemisele kulutatud aeg võiks olla võimalikult kasulikult sisustatud.
- Iga aastaga tuleb rohkem kirjutajaid kui lugejaid. Seega ka ilmuvate nimetuste arv kasvav metsikult, mis muudab Paabeli raamatukogu küll mitmekesisemaks (sest kasvõi mingi veidra hobi kohta kirjutatud raamatule leidub üle maailma ikka umbes 1000 lugejat), ent tekitab mõneti ka “raamatute inflatsiooni”.
Seega soovituslik esseelugemine tuletamaks meelde, et ei pea ega jõua lugeda läbi kõiki maailma raamatuid.
tbr-maybe
January 22, 2018“The truly cultured are capable of owning thousands of unread books without losing their composure or their desire for more.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
“What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us, physically, more alive.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books
“Confronted with the choice between having time and having things, we’ve chosen to have things. Today it is a luxury to read what Socrates said, not because the books are expensive, but because our time is scarce.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
“The probability of finding a particular book increases in relation to the clarity of the store's focus, the diligence and shrewdness of the bookseller, and the size of the business.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
“What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel, how we see, what we do after reading; whether the street and the clouds and the existence of others mean anything to us; whether reading makes us, physically, more alive.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books
“Confronted with the choice between having time and having things, we’ve chosen to have things. Today it is a luxury to read what Socrates said, not because the books are expensive, but because our time is scarce.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
“The probability of finding a particular book increases in relation to the clarity of the store's focus, the diligence and shrewdness of the bookseller, and the size of the business.”
― Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance
February 7, 2017
"Quizá, por eso, la medida de la lectura no debe ser el número de libros leídos, sino el estado en que nos dejan. ¿Qué demonios importa si uno es culto, está al día o ha leído todos los libros? Lo que importa es cómo se anda, cómo se ve, cómo se actúa, después de leer. Si la calle y las nubes y la existencia de los otros tienen algo que decirnos. Si leer nos hace, físicamente, más reales.”
- Gabriel Zaid calmando mis ansias lectoras desde 2017.
- Gabriel Zaid calmando mis ansias lectoras desde 2017.
January 5, 2015
Un libro breve y muy sabroso. Aunque algunas cosas ya están fuera del tiempo (y eso que fue escrito, apenas, hace casi 20 años), me gusta verlo como una lectura obligada para lectores, editores, bibliotecarios, entre otros. No sólo ofrece una visión interesante y muy completa del mundo editorial, también hace preguntas que hogaño son vigentes.
June 23, 2026
There’s something out there for every reader. The main problem in the book biz is getting that special book to the right reader, a problem that ironically only grows as the number of titles available increases.
Ultimately, every personal library is a unique reading plan. Keep exploring bookstores for those miracles, fellow readers. They’re out there somewhere.
It bothers us when we can’t find a book, the very book that should be where we want it to be at the precise instant we want it. We accuse booksellers of being incompetent, if not of conspiring against the one marvelous book that by rights should be everywhere in the universe. ...upon observing booksellers, befriending some of them, and reflecting on their difficulties, I realized that their task is impossible. Though there may be—and are—both excellent and incompetent booksellers, the underlying problem goes beyond individual ability. To be angry because a book isn’t where you want it to be is to be angry at the randomness of fate.This was much more about publishing than reading in an age of abundance. There were many quotable sentences and paragraphs. There was also a lot of repetition and dry sections citing hard data that I wasn’t expecting. However, I learned quite a bit about the logistics, economics, and the overall process of getting a published book produced and (hopefully) into readers’ hands. I also learned why the price of making books is relatively low compared to other mass media, which are so high they are subsidized through advertising. This low price makes it possible for books to cater to small, specialized audiences in ways that TV and movies do not. You will never see that spicy, rivals-to-lovers, queer, hockey, sports romance on the screen unless it’s a bestseller first with a proven audience of some size. (Not to mention that sprawling epic fantasy series that kills off all your favorite characters with alarming regularity.) There were interesting points on how writing has become much more prestigious than reading, and that a large chunk of publishing (academic journals, textbooks, etc.) is therefore never really read.
Instead, we must take joy in fate, seek it out, celebrate it, explore bookstores in hopes of a miracle.
Ultimately, every personal library is a unique reading plan. Keep exploring bookstores for those miracles, fellow readers. They’re out there somewhere.
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