not just obscure books that go unsold and end up becoming
available by the linear foot. There are also thousands of books by
big-name authors, a result of over-publication of some titles. At
times, warehouses such as theirs have been flooded by novels from
mega-bestsellers, such as Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson.
Roberts, the Wonder Book owner, has bought as many as 2,
books at a time by the same author.
Occasionally, someone grouses to McKim that he’s
disrespecting books by selling them as decor, presumably because
they’re no longer meant to be read. But there are some
breakthroughs. Many nights Ashok Bajaj has looked across his
restaurant to see a diner unexpectedly drawn into the pages of one
of his books.
A while back a customer asked Atul Narain, the Rasika West
End general manager, if it was okay to take home one of the books
— to read it. Time passed, then the customer contacted Narain.
He was having the book couriered back to the restaurant. Maybe,
just maybe, someone else might like to read it, too.Manuel Roig-Franzia is a Washington Post staff writer.From left: Veronica Harrison and books to be
shipped at the Book Bundler in Richmond.
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