Books are expensive here in Sweden, especially imported one.
Today two books arrived that I ordered online (I try to support local bookshops but at the moment my finances can’t support my moral high-ground).
The parcel has three labels on it.
Each label has an address.
The first has my address here in Stockholm.
The second has the online companies address in North Las Vegas, United States.
The third has the address of a ‘mail centre’ in Auckland, New Zealand.
I can’t tell if the books have come from the US or NZ, or if they’ve gone from one to the other before arriving in Sweden.
I was reading the blurb on the back cover and I spotted that the books were printed and bound in Italy.
The books are co-published by Whitechapel Gallery, London and MIT Press in the US.
I had planned to buy the books at the Whitechapel Gallery bookshop myself, but noticed that the online price including postage was the same as the price in London and I wouldn’t have to think about paying for excess luggage. Originally I had planned to buy them last week when I should have been in London, however due to the volcanic ash cloud my flight was cancelled.
The books arrived the day I was due back.
I get fascinated by things like this.
I’ve been thinking about the points around the globe; Stockholm, London, Massachusetts, Las Vegas, Auckland, Iceland.
I feel, at once, both incredibly global and very very small …
