The Bertrand Bookstore: A Treasure

Located in Lisbon, Portugal, the oldest operating bookstore in the world is The Bertrand. Established in 1732, this bookstore is older than the U.S. Constitution. The Bertrand was founded by a man named Peter Faure who had the intention of making it a hub for intellectuals of the day and the company now has a large chain of stores throughout Portugal. The company even owns 8 of its own publishers.

Interestingly, several years after its birth, the Bertrand acquired its own printing press, taught writing and printing, and even has its own special font created exclusively for them. 

For a time during the 1750s, the Bertrand was moved to a different location after its destruction during a massive earthquake which destroyed most of the city. It has remained in this "new" location ever since.

Photo by Stephen Coles

Like other areas of the globe, Portugal has also seen a sharp decline in readership as well as brick-and-mortar book sales. All of these issues have been exacerbated by the recent economic crises which have sent shock waves throughout Europe. Despite all this, new in 2015 was a renovation which created space for "cultural events" and also brought in the store's first ever coffee shop. 

While bookstores in Europe continue to close their doors, the Bertrand has managed to stay in business and even have a little growth. The history and intellectual tradition of this shop simply cannot be matched by other, newer establishments. 

Here's to hoping they'll always be around.

3 People Who Would Have Never Been Published If They Hadn't Already Been Famous

Because I know each and every single one of us in Professor William's class checked out at least one Buzzfeed listicle during our lovely lead respondent presentations, I present to you all my very first listicle:

3 People Who Would Have Never Been Published If They Hadn't Already Been Famous

AKA 3 Signs of the Apocalypse

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Paris Hilton

In 2004, Paris Hilton "wrote" the flavorless pile of drivel known as Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Look Behind the Pose. This book eventually became a New York Times best-seller, in case you needed  to lose a little more faith in humanity. 

Notable excerpt: "An heiress should never be too serious. Being too serious is very dull, and is a sign that you have no imagination or personality. No one really wants to hang out with anyone too serious."

That's hot.

2. Kim Kardashian

A lot of terrible things happened in 2015, and one of them was the publication of a book consisting entirely of Kim Kardashian's selfies. This profound anthology was imaginatively titled Selfie and was considered a flop after selling only 32,000 copies in 3 months (as it was expected to fare much, much better). If you were one of the thousands who purchased this book, you are part of the problem.

Notable excerpt: "I just wanted a selfie with an elephant. This pic was taken before the elephant scared me."

Ah, the prose...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Snooki

Nicole Polizzi, more commonly known as Snooki, rose to shallow fame on the hit MTV reality series Jersey Shore. After countless episodes featuring Snooki drunkenly fighting in bars, sleeping with random men, and puking on sidewalks, she decided to publish her book, A Shore Thing. Because can a person ever really have enough Snooki? Apparently so, because the book was a failure.

Notable excerpt: "He had an okay body. Not fat at all. And naturally toned abs. She could pour a shot of tequila down his belly and slurp it out of his navel without getting splashed in the face."

Isn't that what every girl wants?!

People of Print

I strongly believe that a key strategy for keeping print alive and thriving will be the ongoing collaboration of various facets of the industry. "Strength in numbers" is not just an old saying - it is a tried and true method. 

People of Print logo

An organization working in this direction is People of Print. Founded in 2013, PoP was originally a web-library which listed various illustrators, printers, and the like, especially those who favor the old ways of printing over newer, digital methods. Today, PoP headquarters not only offers print services and consulting, but they have also grown into a large community of print industry creatives who support and inspire one another.

Earlier this year, People of Print published a compilation book containing art from various printers, presses, designers, and illustrators, all of whom favor more traditional approaches to printing. Like the folks at GF Smith Papers, these are creators who do things the old way, yet manage to keep it fresh and new.

People of Print can be purchased here

One of the most exciting things about print culture is the amazing community of artists, dreamers, and innovators who belong to it. Often, they are the misfits, the romantics, the marginalized. They're funky, independent, and weird. These people will always be able to find a way to keep books, print, and publications around because that's what they've always done - create, conceive, and devise.

However, as western culture continues to move toward an increasingly high-tech state of being, we "people of print" will need to remain ever-diligent and conscientious. We must always remember to keep looking ahead and moving forward.

The Rich History of GF Smith Papers

We often take for granted everything that goes into the print world. Whether it's the authors who write the stories, the small-time print publications, or the independent print artists, when it comes to print, there is almost always one common denominator: paper. 

A few months ago, while doing research for another class, I discovered a London-based company called GF Smith. Founded by George Frederick Smith in 1885, GF Smith would eventually go on to become one of the world's foremost paper companies, distributing some of the finest papers in the world. 

"The Collection" book contains each and every paper available by GF Smith

One of the qualities which truly sets this company apart is their incredible passion for something so seemingly mundane. To these people, paper is an art. At the company's inception, it was Smith's mission to travel the world seeking paper of only the utmost quality. Not much has changed today. GF Smith is still churning out unbelievably beautiful paper which is used by some of the most prestigious brands in the world. 



Even in the 1800's, Smith and his folks held a revered respect for the printers and publishers who would go on to use their paper. This symbiotic relationship is still strong and evident even today, as GF Smith regularly collaborates with designers, photographers, and various agencies in promotions, products, and events. This sort of spirit-in-teamwork will be essential in the ongoing effort to keep print culture alive and thriving. 

Supplement Magazine, Issue No. 1

The company's paper is used by a plethora of people and companies from designers and artists, to publications and packaging companies. It seems that if paper is involved, GF Smith can do it.

Drunk by Midday, label printed on GF Smith paper

In addition to simply selling paper, you can also visit their website to have a book of your own (what they call a "Makebook") created, printed, and bound (for a pretty penny). Their website also features various other products for purchase, such as Colorplan books, tote bags, posters, and cards from their Paper Smith line. 

GF Smith's capability in offering services to huge companies, such as Burberry, and also small-time individuals, such as a freelance photographer interested in making a book of his work, allows for the ability to maintain a broad reach in customer base. 

Burberry packaging using GF Smith paper

GF Smith is a wonderful example of an old-school company doing old-school things in a new-age, innovative way. Their values and passion haven't changed in 130 years, but they have still managed to remain fresh and hip. In the print industry, the ability to be relevant in a multitude of ways to a diverse set of customers will be another vital aspect in keeping our heads above water.