books becoming a commercialized and “consumerized” product “just as a pair of shoes, or a jacket” might be seen. Through the opening of Piccola Farmacia Letteria, she is hoping to bring books back to their original art form. This new approach at a bookstore has gathered attention from not only Italian customers, but from customers and people all over the world, helping to also bring a new life to the dying form of traditional bookstores. Elena remarked that in this new climate with the rise of e-readers and Amazon, she wanted to bring a new approach to her bookshop while also meeting the needs of customers. Being that this is not a traditional store, it is not pushed by publishing houses, which market and sell for sales and to be in the top 10 spots of genres. Instead of supporting publishing houses, Elena is supporting her customers and their personal needs. The Piccola Farmacia Letteria has selections that span from the ages of children, young adults, and adults, so there is a book for everyone in any situation! There are also crossover titles, being that bibliotherapy is a practice that is meant for healing and for enjoyment. It’s important to note that bibliotherapy is not an alternative for serious mental health people, and although Elena’s method of categorizing is done with a psychologist, she does not seek to “cure” people. Closing our interview with Elena, she told our class, “So often we can find people and situations in books that are similar to ours. You can find a sense of empathy and also even see new approaches to similar situations and this can help the reader to overcome difficulties.” So stop by Piccola Farmacia Letteria, and find a book to suit how you’re feeling, you never know new emotions a book can take you to! *Piccola Farmacia is located at Via di Ripoli, 7 Red, 50126 Firenze FI. Titles are in Italian but are mostly translations from English and American titles and authors*
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