Some of my fondest memories of school days are of the book fairs, which were generally held on the same day as parent-teacher meetings. Muc...
Some of my fondest memories of school days are of the book fairs, which were generally held on the same day as parent-teacher meetings. Much as my friends and I dreaded those meetings, we looked forward to buying coveted books. Those books would come in handy quite often as temporary buffers against the inevitable discussions about grades.
Aatmanand Das is the man behind those bookstalls. He has watched me grow up, has an excellent idea of my choices when it comes to reading, and is a great friend. We still have conversations in his cosy bookstore now and then, especially since the pandemic brought me back home to the crowded streets of my quaint home-town of Patna.
Located at the end of Boring Road, Patna, Books-En-Amee was established in 1979. It will complete its 42nd year of existence in 2021. Outside the store, a blue sign-board reads Books En Amee: The Pride of Pataliputra. On a warm autumn afternoon in October 2020, I walked into the bookstore, armed with a diary and a voice recorder. I had always wanted to know the real story behind the bookstore of my childhood, and the pandemic gave me the chance. Das and his staff members, Gulab and Satish,...
