Why do you think bookstores are not more common in Puerto Rico?

 

"Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you." By Carlo Ruiz Zafón. To begin with, I think the bookstores are not more common in PR because of our condition of colony.

The etymology of "book": Old English: bōc meaning "written document". Porto-germanic: bōks originally meaning "beech tree". 

Theres no more that twenty bookstores in the Island. Book stores are not a trend. Its sad. The culture of the book is relevant for the system for  the society. Its all about humanism. To safe memory of our towns/community. A book to convey. To defeat forgetting. 

In addition, my contact with books goes back to my early childhood. I remember the elementary school library. Besides that, in those days, my mother gave me a book written by JK Rowling. Later I had my moment with Isabel Allende, Gioconda Belli, Paulo Coelho y Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Later in (2012) in university : Borges y Cortázar. 

Furthermore, I found some questions that I found relevant. I ask my self: are people more attracted to quick, visual content rather than long texts? Yes, well thats a topic for further research. But talking about my own experience its like been a screen addiction.

Do people feel that reading books is "time-consuming" or "old-fashioned"? Possible. To read its an act of resistance. Every human should resist in this way. Reading organizes the inner self. Reading is peace and liberty. Therefore, the subconscious becomes clearer. A small contribution to the collective subconscious (Carl Jung, 1916).

There are societal stereotypes that make books seem less appealing or elitist? All depends of the lens . The evolution of slavery has happened, but we continue to suffer class struggle. There is a great poverty of intellect. With the immediacy of information networks, there is less time for the experience of the book, which is like a spiritual mediation.

I have a micro- project called: La Jagüa Books (Online based library) inspire by El Candíl and Isla Negra Editores. I found a necessity. The access to literature in our community; visbility of local writers. For the books I sell books.

In conclusion , while society may increasingly favor quick, visual content, the deeper experience of a book cultivates intellect, imagination, and the collective subconscious. Initiatives like La Jagüa Booksseek to preserve this culture, bringing literature to the community and giving voice to local writers. Ultimately, books remain essential tools for remembering, understanding, and connecting with both ourselves and our world, a quiet revolution of humanism that resists forgetting. 

Bookstores should be trend.

ER