Start as you mean to go on

Dear friends,

On January 1, 2026 I asked ChatGPT : 

What is the value of a bookshop?

It answered:

The value of a bookshop can be understood in a few different ways, and proceeded to break it down into points of economic, cultural, educational, social, personal, and symbolic value, finally concluding that:

In short, a bookshop is valuable not just for selling books, but for nurturing minds, strengthening communities, and keeping culture alive. If you’re asking for this in a specific context (essay, economics, business valuation, or literature analysis), I can tailor the answer to that.

AI had done its job, and while I was indeed asking in a specific context, I didn’t need a tailored answer.

The arrival of a new year offers more than the promise of the new. It presents us with an opportunity to reflect, to take stock, to consider where we are, how we got here, and whether this is indeed where we want to be. 

For far too long, we have played fast and loose, with ideals, values, and beliefs, feeling that economic prosperity was all that mattered. The past year has shown with blinding clarity that arriving at the brink, be it of war, of democracy, or (various degrees) of societal breakdown, can shake us to the core, but it can also steady the hand. Many of us are fearful, resorting to apathy, ripe for polarization, but we could choose instead to consider what really matters; what our values are, who we want to be in the world, and what we believe is worth fighting for. Steady our hand. 

This is our chance to press the reset button, not just reevaluate, but to reach further; break free from routine thought, stop settling for what we know, and start taking risks to not merely improve upon what we have, but to invent the new. It is our chance to stop being paralyzed by fear, but instead be galvanized by determination, courage, and passion. The possibilities are endless, for the betterment of lives, for the betterment of nature, for a redirection of our collective moral compass.

I am not in the prediction business. For that I have missed the mark way too often, and if 2025 has taught me anything, it is that all bets are off. But if I were, my crystal ball might well reveal a (re)focus on values; around dinner tables and conference tables; in town halls and board rooms; among local politicians and global leaders; in books, and in bookshops. 

Which brings us back to the question I asked ChatGPT. 

Epictetus, the stoic philosopher, who could never in his wildest dreams have imagined any such thing as ‘the Chat’ said:

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters,

so as I consider, on behalf of Books & Company, our values and position, my hope for 2026 is that in reaction to the tumult around us, we continue to serve our community as best we can, that we remain open and inclusive, tolerant and trustworthy. 

That we continue to raise the bar for selling books, for nurturing minds, strengthening communities, and keeping culture alive. 

Happy New Year!

Isabella and your friendly team at Books & Company