Published on 12:00 AM, July 19, 2019

The secret life of booksellers

Growing up in Bailey Road, Shagor Publishers was the place for me. It was owned by the renowned writer M.R. Akhter Mukul who started the shop as a sort of a glorified book club. He would sit on a stool at the small entrance where he would greet readers. If I inquired of a book that I don't see on the shelves yet, he would smile and say, "Choley ashbey shamner shoptahey!" He thrived on our thirst. 

"Pathok Shomabesh" at Shahbagh was another store I loved. Bought my first Kafka from them because I was curious about the fact that they had so many books by this one particular writer.

Mahjabeen Ahmed-Kamal

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"He just knows he has to pay rent by the 10th of each month and his daughters' school fees by the 9th." Wow, while the rest of the world is in pursuit of chasing that elusive capitalist bliss. Excellent read! I'll visit some of these bookstores soon. Nothing beats the texture and smell of a physical copy.

 

Tanim Ud Dowlah,

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