Being here at EBD Bookstore has taught me so much. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that people don’t just come here to buy books.
They come to be heard.
Every day, people walk in with searching eyes, carrying a quiet mix of emotions—happiness, sadness, confusion, hope or may be all at once. And somehow, between the shelves and the familiar smell of paper, they allow it to spill.
Just yesterday, an aunty came in asking for book recommendations for her daughter—someone my age. At first, it felt casual. She flipped through covers, asking questions lightly. But soon, the conversation slowed. She wasn’t in a hurry. She lingered.
She told me her daughter loves reading but has been feeling a little lost lately. She wanted books that could feel like company. And as I suggested titles, I realised something: she wasn’t only looking for recommendations.
She really wanted to talk.
So we did. We talked about books, yes—but also about growing up, about how confusing this age can be, about how parents sometimes struggle to reach their children. She listened quietly, nodded often, smiled softly. For a moment, the bookstore stopped being a shop. It became a pause.
When she left, she thanked me—not just for the books, but for the conversation.
That’s when it truly struck me: bookstores are not just about transactions. They are about relationships—small, gentle ones. The kind where strangers trust you with pieces of their lives simply because you’re standing between stories.
I think that’s the most beautiful part of this place.
Here, books begin conversations that stay between the shelves.
-Sneha
Intern at The English book Depot
