It turns out that printed books are more than just Kindle-ing for a digital age that torches everything in its path. Independent bookstores, left for dead in an Amazon world, are not only surviving, they’re thriving. There are more of them. They’re doing pretty well. And people like the community factor as well. (If only you could use your thumb and index finger to enlarge the font on a printed book!) NYT (Gift Article): Some Surprising Good News: Bookstores Are Booming and Becoming More Diverse. “Two years ago, the future of independent book selling looked bleak. As the coronavirus forced retailers to shut down, hundreds of small booksellers around the United States seemed doomed. Bookstore sales fell nearly 30 percent in 2020, U.S. Census Bureau data showed. The publishing industry was braced for a blow to its retail ecosystem, one that could permanently reshape the way readers discover and buy books. Instead, something unexpected happened.” To find out what, just turn the page…