Wandering around The Strand yesterday I could not help but be amazed by the amount of people there. Who says that people don't read? I could barely move!

Obviously, there were quite a few tourists in the lot. After all, if you claim to have 18 miles of books and you're not the Library of Congress, you are by definition an attraction.

But there were also many wanderers like me who were just there enjoying the experience. There is something to be said about navigating through book stacks, smelling people's curiosity as they leaf though old volumes and new paperbacks. It conveys a quiet feeling of excitement. 

The Strand knows what it is doing. It carries everything - cheaper. And it seems to understand that books are not just about their content; they are also about making us feel part of something greater than us.

That's why, I guess, they cleverly offer the ultimate anti-digital service. The Strand offers to help decorate your walls with books. "We will custom design a library that is sure to be a perfect match for any home or office space, one
that will please the eye and satisfy the mind." The service is called "Books by the Foot".