(And say goodbye for now)
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Alexander this summer, and before we say goodbye, we’d like you all to get to know a little more about him.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
A: Hi! My name is Alexander Wilson, and I’ve had the pleasure of working at Books & Books over my summer break back home in Key West. I’m going into my sophomore year of college at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where I’m studying English as well as French & Francophone Studies. On top of that, I’m big on music as well as creative writing. I’ve been coming to B&B since high school, and I’d wanted to work at the store for a little while. Fortunately, the opportunity arose this summer, and hopefully more summers in the future. I knew I would fit in at the store because while I enjoy reading & writing, I absolutely love to interact with other people who feel the same way.
Q: What was your favorite thing about working at the store?
A: By far my favorite part of working at the store has been the environment – the people, the books, and the general air of life that surrounds writing. My fellow employees have been nothing short of wonderful. I feel insanely lucky to have been around such remarkable people in such a remarkable space. Moreover, B&B has customers coming from all over the world. Interacting with teachers, authors, book lovers, and even just those relieved to be out of the heat has taught me a great deal about how much a single work could change someone’s life. Being surrounded by other people’s stories is the closest we can truly get to understanding one other, and this was what surprised me: the close-knit community of reading and writing. It is such a beautiful thing, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
Q: What kinds of things do you typically read?
A: Although I’d like to widen my literary taste, much of what I currently read is what I would consider “realistic fiction.” While there are a few memoirs and series of essays that I’ve greatly enjoyed, I’ve found that I feel the most seen and learn the most through a good story. For me, books centered on complex human relationships help me to figure out those in my own life and inspire me to try to capture the massive emotions someone like me feels at eighteen.
I can’t say that I have an all-time favorite book just yet, but there are three I can definitively say will always be special in my life: The Color Purple by Alice Walker made me realize just how moving a novel could be and got me back into reading after a long slump period all through adolescence. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller put on display a kind of love that was novel (haha) and inspired me to believe that there are good people out there waiting to be met. Finally, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton is a testament that it doesn’t matter if you’re in your teens or your 50s, your voice matters and you can write something worth hearing. I deeply recommend each of these books and keep them very close to my heart.