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“Reducing access to our culture opens a gap: the threat of losing our precious freedom of expression,” wrote French author Didier van Cauwelaert in an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron. This after the country’s bookstores were forced to close in an attempt to stop the country’s second wave of covid-19, writes New Indian Express.
van Cauwelaert also offered to pay a fine for all the Cannes bookstores which, despite the restrictions, chose to remain open. The initiative is now being followed by more authors. On the Europe 1 radio channel on Sunday, Alexandre Jardin, one of France’s most widely read authors, said that “the next bookstore will be me and someone else” and that “no state has the moral right to close bookstores.”
A handful of bookstores in Paris he has openly declared that they must remain open despite crown restrictions, a decision that has been supported by authors, literary critics, and various book lovers who claim that books are essential to well-being. They are furious at the government’s decision to close the bookstores a second time, along with other stores selling “unnecessary” items or services.
Hairdressers, toy stores, perfumeries, florists, cinemas and shopping centers have also been forced to close since the end of October, but the situation of the bookstores is the one that has caused the most outrage in the public. Olivier Nora is the CEO of French publishing house Grasset and believes that booksellers miss out on the big sales in November and December, which account for 25 percent of the stores’ annual revenue.
The country has shown a downward trend in new infections in the last week. Last week, Prime Minister Jean Castex raised the possibility of reopening some stores in December if the trend continues.
