Last year, authors Tove Alsterdal and Mats Jonsson organized a successful literature festival in Ådalen. This year, they had thought of taking a break, but since Kramfors local bookstore is threatened with closure, they are now organizing a literary cruise on the Ångerman River voluntarily.
Many probably don't realize what a bookstore means until it's too late. Reading is not just a solitary activity. We need places where we can gather around the book, says Tove Alsterdal.
Tribute to Literature
Previously, there were two bookstores in Ådalen, one in Sollefteå and one in Kramfors. Last autumn, the store in Sollefteå was closed down, and now the one in Kramfors is threatened. With the cruise, the authors want to raise money for it.
We don't know, of course, if the cruise can save the bookstore, but it will be a substantial contribution in any case. Our hope is that many will want to come on board and pay tribute to literature, reading, and the local bookstore.
Half the Country Without a Bookstore
In Sweden, there are currently 287 bookstores, distributed across 146 municipalities.
There has been a downward trend for many years when it comes to both the number of bookstores and municipalities with bookstores as a result of digitalization, says Maria Hamrefors, chairperson of the Swedish Booksellers' Association.
Before the pandemic, there were 306 bookstores in the country. Even though the number has decreased, Maria Hamrefors believes that there is much to be highlighted positively.
Most bookstore companies are doing well today, and new stores are opening every year. It's both individual entrepreneurs and chains that are investing.
In the industry statistics on book sales in Sweden, physical bookstores show an increase and have done so for the past three years, both in sales figures and market shares. However, they have not yet returned to the levels they were at before the pandemic. Sales are also shifting from printed books to streamed digital books, mainly audiobooks – which does not benefit physical bookstores.
The cruise with M/S Ådalen III takes place on the evening of August 29. On the author's stage, Tove Alsterdal and Mats Jonsson will converse with crime writers Johan Theorin and Ninni Schulman, as well as Ulrika Lagerlöf about her novel "Hjortronmyren". The organizers are working voluntarily, the participating authors are not receiving fees, and the publishers are covering travel expenses. The surplus will go directly to Kramfors bookstore.
