The Big Experiment (and a smaller one)

It’s been four weeks since our last newsletter and I still can’t decide if it’s been the longest four weeks or the shortest. 

One thing is for sure, nothing is the same and perhaps most remarkably,  it isn’t the same for ANYONE. The vast majority of the world’s population is at some level of lockdown and we have all had our lives upended by a biological phenomenon we cannot see. It feels like we are living in a science fiction novel turned scary 7 Season Netflix series.

But here we are, trying each in our own way to cope with the unexpected - carefully navigating our way across the vast unknown.

We listen to experts like never before, study charts like never before and trust our leaders like never before. We take responsibility and act responsibly and while we feel invaded by something outside of our control, we know that the outcome is very much within our control, and we know that the experiences we take away from this will in large part be defined by our choices and our communities.

Indeed, while the words Covid-19 and Corona virus frighten us, they aren’t nearly as powerful as that single word that comforts us, Community. We clap together, we sing together, we Zoom together. We support our friends, our neighbors, our health care workers and our small businesses. We want them all to still be there on the other side of this.

As those who know us, know so well, we take the word Company in Books & Company very seriously. We love your company, we need your company and these days, we miss your company. That said, never before have we felt your company as strongly as we have in these past four weeks. As the writer Ann Patchett recently said about running her bookshop in Nashville during lockdown: ‘We’re a part of our community as never before’. We couldn’t agree more. 

We want to be there for you and you want to be there for us. Changing up the business, taking your orders and delivering books to your homes is how, together, we make sure that happens. 

We cannot thank you enough for your continued support - and for making sure we remain part of your community.

These past weeks have also reminded us how fortunate we are to live in a time where technology allows us to stay in touch with so many, in so many countries and in so many ways. So we decided to try something new.

For the next few months we will be sharing - on Instagram and Facebook - short (one minute) book recommendation videos recorded by members of the Books & Company community from near and far - and we would love for you to be a part of it. 

So go ahead, grab your favorite book, one you’re reading, one you just read, one you read years ago but can’t forget - and tell us why - for one minute! The whole world is upside down, so why not try something new!