"Turn on the Light" is full of poetry and tension. I can't find a better word as the title of this post-reading. A scholar and writer wrote a novel about the living conditions of bookstores. I believe that writers, as book writers, are concerned about the survival trend of physical bookstores to varying degrees, but Zhang Kangkang's concern with works is really rare.
To tell the truth, I didn't think much of it at first, and I didn't seem to find anything wonderful. Even, some places make you feel that you are reading an argumentative paper or participating in a discussion, but the more you read it, the more you feel that you are slowly savoring it, and finally you will be amazed. Just like a beautiful scenery, hidden but not exposed. At first, you think it's ordinary, but if you keep going in and get to the core of it, at some point, you suddenly shine. Good works often make you want to stop reading.
It can be seen that she didn't do too many other designs for this novel. Like a spring, let it flow smoothly and naturally. It is in the form of literature that the author has accumulated what he has seen, heard, thought and thought about the living conditions of physical bookstores for many years, and opened them one by one through the key of the owner "luna".
A childhood friend who loves reading gave her warmth and brought her many books when she was most lonely. With books, Luna will never feel lonely again. Luna failed in the college entrance examination because she was three points short. He was admitted to the university as he wished. Before leaving, he said that he would write to her and send her many books. Then I never heard from him again. More than ten years ago, luna bravely walked out of the system and opened this "Mingguang Bookstore", with the name of that childhood partner as the signboard. I hope that when the person whose fate was changed by books comes back, he will see the signboard of "Mingguang Bookstore" so that he can find her. Although this may always be just a dream. Books or knowledge changed the fate of her childhood partner, not her fate, but her people; Let her become a person with dreams and spiritual sustenance, a guardian of spiritual home.
The good times don't last long, the development of the Internet is unstoppable, physical bookstores are in decline, and the weak private book industry is struggling. Despite her best efforts, the bookstore went from bad to worse. Originally, Xinhua Bookstore welcomed her back and could arrange a supervisor position. If luna left the system to open a bookstore many years ago, it was more to improve the living conditions at home, but now she uses her husband's salary to subsidize the bookstore's deficit and wants the bookstore to survive, which is more of a spiritual insistence. She wants to stick to it, for those readers who like to come to the bookstore, for her dream.
An interesting new customer came that day, bought a lot of books, and insisted on not letting her have a discount. Luna don't understand. The stranger said something meaningful when he left: "Can you turn on the light?" In fact, he said it to luna as well as to himself. I finally realized that he wanted to be the one who turned on the light.
You don't know when this strange book buyer will appear again. At this point, the seeds are planted, and strangers will appear again until the end of the article.
"Turn on the light", because of the warm words of the stranger, she has been waiting for him to come again, not just waiting for him to take the book she ordered. Unexpectedly, after waiting for a long time, he got an unexpected news. He told luna that a 500-square-meter facade room was reserved in the new urban area, which was used as the business place of the public bookstore, and the rent concessions were almost negligible. He once recommended Mingguang Bookstore and specially asked luna for advice. Urban construction and social development need not only material benefits. In the novel, fortunately, government departments and developers have such awareness.
The husband seems indifferent, but in fact, he silently helps her support this persistence. Those old customers who love books give sincere support to the bookstore, even though their wallets are tight. The stranger refused to give a discount and left warm words when he left. Just as she was dying, she received a notice from the Cultural Bureau that Mingguang Bookstore won the provincial government bookstore award fund of 6.5438+0 million yuan, which ushered in a "bright future" of "heavy mountains and heavy waters". In reality, most of the adherents are not applauded, but they can't wait for this light. Some people are still living for hope; Others have to compromise or even give up "spiritual life" for "secular life". But Zhang Kangkang and many of us still hope.
Online shopping can't be touched, read or smell books, and you can't enjoy the nostalgic bookstore atmosphere created by book buyers and sellers. The winter of physical bookstores is coming, and buyers who like bookstores and sellers who want to continue to insist need to hold a group to keep warm. Today, book buyers and sellers are no longer just a simple relationship in the past, they are also an alliance, and they are both worried about the survival of physical bookstores and the fate of booksellers.
The novel is about the bookstore, but it is extended to more. The world has changed, how can we stick to our dreams?
Some people persist, not just for survival, but for a love or an obsession. However, we must survive first, so that such persistence can continue. When such persistence becomes more and more difficult, someone needs to help the perseverers turn on the light of hope. Our society needs not only the support of material interests, but also the spirit of persistence to survive.
To be or not to be, that is a question. I don't like buying books online either, just like that stranger dumped on luna: I want the bookstore to survive. Luna's husband said that if you don't open a bookstore from now on, I'm afraid you won't survive. "I want you alive!" "His interpretation of life and death is tragic and simple.
It is often the case that you take to the streets and feel that there is nowhere to go. At night, I hope readers can see the lights of the bookstore from a distance, and sellers can also see the light of hope in their persistence.
With this in mind, I also want to turn on the lights every day at the turn of the old and the new.