bookshops, characters and solitude

I recently found out a friend of mine works, part-time, in a local bookshop which has been there my whole life. Same place, same people. The owners are two sisters who, I understand, decicated their entire life to books. Since they never got married they share a flat not far from the bookshop and their daily routine is something like...they open the bookshop at 9 am, close it at 12:30 am for lunch, open it again at 2.30 pm and close it at 7pm.

I confess I was always curious about them, what they do, how their lives are really like and I was somehow happy to find out someone knew them. I didn't get to know anything special, nor of great interest...but in a way they look like characters from a book - to me at least - and the feeling was that of finally opening the book.

Still, it was also quite upsetting: do all people who dedicate their lives to books die 'alone', have no children, no love, nothing of the kind?

Do people from small bookshops do nothing but read and read and...read? I know there's a lot to say about theme, I know they have so much to offer but I also have the feeling books are losing their ability to connect people.

I remember attending a conference once about the importance of tales for kids. The speaker pointed out that tales give children the opportunity to learn about life, to understand they are not alone and can overcome problems, just like Cinderella does.

I've always read about the solitary life of writers and I myself know how difficult it is to have a socialise while trying to write a novel but I do have the feeling modern times stole the magic within/around books. We read, but have no time to share.

Not so long ago people would meet in cafes to talk about books, literature in general...where's all gone?

As much as I love internet I think it created a funny idea of what 'Culture' is...need info? Check online...easy, practical, fast. Still I miss the touch and smell of books...