"Used book hunt with surprising finds" by Scott A. Rosenberg in the newspaper amNew York (Wednesday, July 20, 2011) told the story of a unique consumer project. Scott A. Rosenberg and his editor chose 8 books from a variety of fields, and searched for them in four New York City bookshops. At the end of the article, Scott A. writes: "Part of the allure of used bookstores, besides the inherent financial savings, is the adventure of the hunt and the pleasure of unearthing a rare literary gem. For this bibliophile, there’s no better feeling."
But he doesn’t mention browsing! In the modern world of the fucking Internet, we can all find anything we’re looking for — say, the lyrics to "All Right Now" by the band Free — in 0.19 seconds. But how do we find what we’re not looking for? In a dusty bookstore, you stumble upon Nirvana: An Occult Mystery published by the Theosophical Society in Madras (as I did yesterday, in the Book Sale room of the Phoenicia Library). I wasn’t searching for this book because I never knew it existed. Browsing is like being at a party, where you may suddenly meet… a Lithuanian optometrist! A bookstore is a silent party.
Incidentally, here are some lyrics to "All Right Now":
I took her home to my place,
Watching every move on her face.
She said, "Look, what’s your name?
Baby, are you trying to put me in shame?"
I said, "Slow! Don’t go so fast!
Don’t you think our love could last?"
She said, "Love? Lord above;
Now you try to trick me in love!"