Among the “signers” well-known public figures, politicians, journalists, librarians, filmmakers, actors, teachers, TV presenters, representatives of other creative professions not directly related to publishing. But they all in one voice say: no books, Russia will perish as a cultural power. No books will be no cinema, no theatre, no radio, no television. The book is a bread culture.
the Essence of “Writing” that in a pandemic coronavirus and forced isolation closed bookstores, which accounted for more than 70% of book distribution. It actually paralyzes the entire book industry, from publishers to printing companies.
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“Now we stand on the threshold of the greatest social catastrophe that sets the book and the book industry on the brink of survival. Only in March book stores have lost more than 50-60% of sales, and the situation with the closure of stores for a month and longer period can lead to a series of bankruptcies and collapse of the entire book industry,” – say the authors of “Letters”.
In this regard, they turn to the Government with the earnest request:
“to add a list of commodities approved by decree of the RF Government from 27.03.2020 N762-R, books.
Enable the book industry to the list of fields most affected by the deteriorating situation in connection with the spread of the new coronavirus infection, to provide priority for targeted support”.
We asked some of the signatories of this “Letter” from myself to comment on the situation.
Direct speech
Natalia Solzhenitsyn, the President of the Fund Solzhenitsyn:
I signed this letter. I strongly support the scribes and all the measures that are proposed in the open letter.
Evgeny Vodolazkin, writer:
Today a lot of talk about closing stadiums, salons, falling oil prices, but nobody talks about the books. But it is also the industry: the book must be published, sold, to reach the reader – and this industry is very affected by the current crisis. Everything goes through the chain stopped printing houses, closed shops, readers get books. Until they reach electronic and audio books, but the book paper is in the shops without moving.
So it is logical that their voice in defense of the book have raised those directly associated with it – publishers and writers. The last, and the richest people can be without the fees and royalties that will not be paid, because the books will not be sold. But the suffering party here is the reader and the culture in General. Only in March sales of books fell by 60 percent. It is almost a disaster. Oil is oil, but the book has always been an important article of our cultural imports. I have always advocated the adoption of measures to reduce the cost of the book. Because it is, in my opinion, in Russia and so dear. At the Presidential Council and Natalya Solzhenitsyna, and I talked about the fact that the book should be a necessity and to develop a set of measures that reduced the price to facilitate access by the reader. But now you just have to prevent a catastrophe, and the government as well as it helps different spheres of production, trade, etc., should help the publishing and sale of books.
Otherwise the following will happen: books in crisis will cease to be sold, then the stores and publishers will lower prices, and then the book will simply disappear, because printing and publishing is not something from the field of philanthropy, and thousands of people who do this for a living. Will sell published, and new books may no longer be. Drugoy option – books will be so expensive that it will turn into a luxury item. Both paths equally lead to the crash.
Elena Shubina, editor of “Redaction of Elena Shubina” publishers AST:
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– the main thing Now is to continue to lower the bar to be in touch with the authors. To come out with interesting books when it test – and it is definitely a test of both human and professional – over.
Sergey Shargunov, writer, chief editor of the magazine “Youth”, the Chairman of the culture Committee of the state Duma:
– I would not like to see the price of the book soared to heights beyond the clouds, leaving the majority of readers and libraries. If grocery to go still, bookstores are closed. Many of them have introduced a delivery service. The Director of the Moscow Tsiolkovsky Maxim Surkov personally delivers books on the flats is fine, but certainly not out of our damned days.
the Publishing of the new Russia 2/3 small and medium business, already find themselves at a precipice.
Not alone the scribes under attack, need help many, and yet it is necessary to say clearly and definitely: the fate of the book is inseparable from the fate of the country. Now there is a rapid decline in sales, and so on increasing. The continuation of the quarantine will destroy bookstores and publishers.
in Order to prevent this, scribes appeal to the state. Sad sad, but all very specific. It, by the way, the hundreds of thousands of people engaged in a noble and meaning-making business.
you Need to enable the book industry in a number of the most affected by the coronavirus. It’s time to turn to the international experience of protection of books developed even before these unfortunate circumstances. Proposalsniya is known. Zero VAT; the creation of mechanisms for compensation of rent and support staff; benefits for wages; various forms of credit… Bookstore can’t be in the same terms that the restaurant, bar, shop selling alcohol or clothes. Publishing absurd to equate to the media.
Well, the main thing – do not confuse the book service with the business. It is impossible and unthinkable to demand that a complex and fragile phenomenon of culture: either to make a profit or die. And in fact this is a rude ultimatum today’s reality.
Without books the world would be dick.
No books will be darkened Russia’s face.
Alexey Varlamov, writer, rector of the Literary Institute. Gorky:
– In his Nobel lecture, Joseph Brodsky said that the most terrible crime of the nation, for which it pays for its history is the neglect of the book. Not the inclusion of books in the list of necessities, especially when people have the need to occupy themselves with something important, heart – monstrous. This is either myopia, or frivolity, are not allowed in our challenging time. Book today, not a luxury, and our daily bread, and smart government can not understand.
has Prepared Svetlana Zorina, Andrew Vasenin
