The Ateneo, the most unusual splendid book store in the world.
Travel shelf....Canada is represented of course, a moose on the book cover
But, then look up! A magnificient theatre with a painted ceiling, gilt edged balconies, Greek columns, behind a wine red velvet curtain, a stage converted into a Cafe. The private balconies are used by patrons to sip their refreshments. The tiers are filled with shelves, and the general seating area houses a vast display of books.
Even an illiterate would enjoy the visual attraction of this 'book store'.
Historia Argentina, a subject which fills walls and free standing shelves with books covering the shaky, volatile and sometimes bloody history ot the country as well as tomes filled with photos of Evita Peron from cradle to grave - and beyond.
Who would not fall in love with reading in this environment?
One wonders what performances delighted audiences decades ago, when Portenos diverted themselves with an outing to the movies.
A ceiling, which lends the whole store a celestial atmosphere...
And here, the story, which was supposed to be atop of all those photos - but blogging constraints sometimes interfer with ones intentions.
Something most tourists do not realize is, that Buenos Aires has books stores every few steps. Portenos have a long history of accomplished writers, many of them always on the wrong side of historic governments, a position, which very often sent them to exile or prison - or 'disappearance'. That was the euphemism, which was used for the many politically active citizens, who magically disappeared, usually after midnight when a phone call (answered by the targeted person) from an anonymous caller would signify that the intended victim was 'at home and in bed'. The captive would ususally 'disappear', never to be seen again. 30,000 Argentinians disappeared during those dictatorial times.
These times are gone, mercifully, and the Seventies and Eighties dictatorship has long been replaced by a democratic government. Kristina is - Queen.
But I digress. Not only many revolutions gave birth to prolific writing of a body of literature that has a well deserved place in the world, but early colonial Spanish influence, initial settlement and 'exploitation' of both native people and poor immigrants, and the entire cultural evolution of Argentina's culture created fertile ground for active minds and pens.
Ergo, writers and poets galore...
Many of the famous Buenos Aires Cafes became famous as a result of being perpetual hang outs of writers throughout the city's history. For instance, the renown Cafe Tortoni is today mostly a tourist hang out (lines of Tilley hatted, shorts clad, and Nike shod visitors wait outside the cafe for the opportunity to sit a few minutes under the stained glass ceiling and admire the tradition laden mirrored walls whilst drinking an Americano, a tamed version of the Argentinian Cafecito) whereas in the early 20th century it swarmed with writers discussion philosophy, politics and each others writing over endless cups of coffee and a couple of media lunas.
With such a history in the written word, the Argentinians are definitely avid readers. Proof - hundreds and hundreds of well frequented book stores, libraries and book fairs.
Most of these stores are the usual venues for purchasing new books, but many are treasure troves of antiquarian first editions, well thumbed second-(tenth?)hand volumes, which sell for a song. Yesterday I leafed through an small hard cover volume, published in 1904 in Germany, and printed in the old Italic style of that time - it sold for 2 pesos, half a Loonie!
One may certainly indulge in ones reading passion, regardless of language, in this City.
The crown of Buenos Aires book stores is definitely the Ateneo, a early 20th theatre/movie house, that has been converted into one of the most attractive home for books.
That is where I spent a showery cool afternoon, slipping from rack to rack, and immersing myself in the written word. Comforable seating nooks invite to take a rest and let the eye wander...
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