{
  "id": 13009994,
  "title": "Bookstores: This is how India’s silicon city protects its analogue soul",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/bookstores-this-is-how-indias-silicon-city-protects-its-analogue-soul",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T02:33:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/bookstores-india-silicon-city-protects-analogue-soul-10913395/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Bengaluru, a lane off Brigade Road leads to a dead end, where Select Bookshop, run by third-generation proprietor K Sanjay, stands. For 81 years, Select has endured the city's transformation from a quieter, pensioner-filled town to the country's technology hub. Select's story mirrors Bengaluru's independent bookstores, adapting to the city's changing workforce and reading habits without losing their unique charm. The Antiquarian Bookworm section, opened by Krishna Gowda, showcases old and rare books, while the larger room above houses rare volumes such as a history of Frankish kings and an 1890 edition of Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Sanjay personally assists customers in finding rare books. Recent years have seen a shift in select's clientele, with popular fiction books and even philosophy books, like those by Nietzsche and Kant, becoming popular among younger readers. Select has embraced literary events and discussions on various subjects, from vaccines to Japanese poetry, attracting both those who participate in talks and those who leave with a new book. Longtime patrons, such as writer Meera Iyer and Swedish author Zac O Yeah, appreciate the unique atmosphere and the personal attention Sanjay provides. The shop feels like a time machine, with old-style clocks, furniture, and objects like a cassette recorder that transport visitors to another era.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}