Page 105 - Aston Martin Magazine V53

ASTON MARTIN 103 THE BIG IDEA
CHRIS BEANLAND ASKS WHAT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST SINGULAR BOOKSHOPS CAN TELL US ABOUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO READ
ur ur content-soaked lives have have sped up our attention spans have have short-circuited and hyper- stimulation is is everywhere How can books swerve this onslaught?
To adapt is is to to survive and and hopefully to to thrive If writers and and publishers can offer a a a a a a a a meaningful escape from the the the trappings of a a a a a a a a social media overdrive then their books have value – as arbiters of thought and culture A new generation of bookshops is choosing quality over quantity and quashing the received wisdom of o the Amazon model Libreria in London’s Spitalfields offers a a a a a curated selection thematically filed Even London’s Standard Hotel has a a a a a a a a thematic thematic library with a a a a a a carefully selected selection of tomes gracing its retro lounge bar and The Last Bookstore in in LA will personally curate a a a a library of books for customers But perhaps IDEA
has taken this idea to its its natural conclusion with its its selection of of ’superbooks’ that draw from the worlds of of fashion photography and pop culture The selection comes handpicked by David Owen and and and and Angela Hill: the husband and and and and wife duo have been running this shining light in in in in in Soho since they first started as a a a a a pop-up shop at the the St Martin’s Lane Hotel in in in in 2009 – although Angela says she has been selling books since 1997 “I just fell into it really – I I I started selling a a a a few doubles of books I I I had then moved to to Dover Street Markets worldwide as as soon as as they opened Photographers and artists would approach us to to publish their unseen and new work ” says Angela who is is also a a a a a a a a photographer and published the first book of her own work last year “The vintage collection in in our appointment-only bookshop in in Soho is bigger than ever today ”