A used bookstore man was reinforcing a tattered old book

Man repairing an used book by the wayside — Used bookstore in Yangon

When I visited Yangon eight years ago, I was surprised to see many people reading books and magazines on the streets. I was impressed by the high level of education in Myanmar and the fact that most people could read. But over the past eight years, these people have almost disappeared. It is not that the number of people who can read has decreased. It is that the number of people reading on the street has decreased dramatically. Smartphones seem to have eradicated books, magazines, and other things written on paper. Nowadays, there are probably fewer people who do not have a smartphone. In any case, as a result of having too much time on the street, there are far fewer people reading paper books and newspapers.

Although fewer and fewer, it seems that book lovers who prefer paper books still inhabit the area. Walking near the Sule Pagoda, I saw a large bookstore, and there were still people selling used books on the street. The man in the photo with tattoos on his arms is also a street bookseller. The man is just reinforcing used books. I guess the books will be passed on to various people as they are reinforced in this way. While I was watching the man work, a customer came in and started rummaging through the books. This kind of scene made me feel relieved that the book lovers in Yangon are still alive and well, even if their numbers have dwindled.

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