Growing up in the 70′s, with a father that worked up in central London, would enviably mean the odd trip into “town”.
One of my favourite treats would be a trip to what I thought was the largest bookshop in the known universe – Foyles in Charring Cross road. As a small boy I stood in wonderment at the vast collection of railway books on offer – which like many small boys at the time was a particular passion of mine. Books where piled in every conceivable space – the shelves where often filled to overflowing, small piles of books on the floor where not uncommon. The place seemed to have a special magic, surely if you needed a book on any topic known to mankind it could be found here ?
Yesterday, some three decades later with another couple of hours to kill, I decided that I needed a book on mySQL, so being “in town”, I headed to Foyles.
No doubt, many things have improved – books seem organised and none are seen on the floor in piles any more – much I am sure to the delight of the local fire brigade inspector. The whole place seems light and airy, yet for all the improvements the wonderment is long gone.
The place appears to be now exclusively staffed by young graduates – bight and astute I am sure – but merely “passing through” or I am sure in today’s climate just grateful to be in paid employment. The old hands who both had a life long interest in books, where usually often subject specialists and could make highly informed recommendations no doubt are in retirement.
I found that much to my horror that all of the books, well certainly all that I was browsing in the computer section where already marked with a theft detection device – usually located mid-book on a page where removal would mean damaging the book. So my book shall be marked for life, for Foyle’s benefit.
Having located the book that I was thinking of, I looked in disgust at the price – it was FULL retail ! – Not only had all the perceived magic gone, I was still expected to pay for it – because even historically books where always at marked retail price.
So long Foyles – you are now part of my history and Amazon will ensure that you remain that way.
May 20th
