Chennai| Buy stories by the box at this book fair

At their fair in Chennai, Book Tale sells books by the box in an attempt to sustainably revive traditional reading

Sitting by the window and sipping a warm cup of coffee while basking in the warm early morning sunshine, flipping the pages gently. What was once filled with messy annotations showcasing varied colors of ink has now transformed into the bright LED screens of mobile phones. The nostalgia associated with reading traditional books is not new.

But, somewhere in our very extensive lists of ‘to read’ books, one’s bank account gives in. As the recent years have witnessed a growing demand for traditional paper-back and hardcover books over e-books, book fairs that sell books by the bulk have found a solution that is as environmentally conscious as it is pocket-friendly: buying books by the box.

The Story Box, an initiative by Delhi-based startup Book Tale, brings forth a bookfair where one can buy as many books as they can fit in a box at a pre-set price. While their mini box (priced at ₹1500) can hold up to 13-17 books, their biggie box (priced at ₹2500) can hold up to 30 books. The Story Box Caravan is taking this bookfair across the country to bring forth the option of buying both first hand as well as second hand books for affordable prices. The fair is currently happening at Aerohub East mall in Chennai, and will run till November 24.

Naveen Pandey, co-founder of Book Tale, is an advocate of choosing traditional books over e-books, and believes that a culture of “passing on the books” can help in building a world where literature and knowledge is shared. “I am curious as a reader. I would choose to pick books over phones and reels. Books give us more knowledge by reading them from the initial page to the end, and this experience is unique,” he says.

He also adds, “people are driven away from books because of the cost. Making them affordable is making them accessible.” Through their concept, they aim to sell books in bulk with a reduced landing cost for the customers.

A young reader, Priysha, says, “My friend discovered this fair through an Instagram reel and got me here.” Perhaps this convergence of digital media and traditional books is the way forward to revive reading despite rapidly reducing attention spans.