The death of T N Shanbhag, the founder of the Strand Book Stall in Mumbai, has left all book lovers bereaved. Here was a true book stall unpolluted by unnecessary distractions like gift articles, CDs, coffee-shops and toys. It had the ideal congestion that gave you the bookish ambience that money cannot buy and interior decorators cannot design. Here was a staff who could recite titles, authors and publishers with only their brains as computers. And would even call you when some new book they know would be of interest to you has arrived. Staff in other book shops look as if they have never read a book. Like the music teacher in the movie, Mr Holland’s Opus, Shanbhag has created a literary orchestra of his own — the book lovers in Mumbai and even outside.
T R Ramaswami, Mumbai
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