“I’ll be here until everyone can read.” ~ Mohammed Aziz
This week’s Hero is Mohammed Aziz, a 72-year-old Moroccan bookseller recognized as the oldest bookseller in Rabat’s old town (medina). Aziz dedicates approximately six to eight hours a day to reading and has amassed an extensive reading list of over 4,000 books in French, Arabic, and English.
Having lost his parents at a young age, and unable to pay for his education, Aziz turned to self-education. He worked selling fish and then began to sell books under a tree with only a rug and nine titles. Eventually, he established a five-by-five-foot bookstore that now contains over 4,000 volumes and features rare and classic works that are hard to locate elsewhere. Aziz has stated, “Those who cannot read do not steal books, and those who read books are not thieves.”
Having experienced his own challenges, Aziz understands the financial strain that textbooks impose. Recalling their steep prices, he takes the initiative to reduce costs for future students. His goal is to eliminate the barrier of high textbook expenses, ensuring that cost does not deter students from pursuing their education.
His bookstore serves not only as a retail space but also as a center for education and cultural exchange, fostering an atmosphere that invites people from diverse backgrounds to gather and celebrate the love of reading. This establishment, with its rich selection of works across multiple genres and languages, has transformed into a community hub for literature enthusiasts.
Capturing this enthusiasm, 19th-century French poet Charles Baudelaire famously said, “A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors.”
Take inspiration from Aziz and explore the links below.
Related:
Not All Heroes Wear Capes: Meet Mohammed Aziz
Selling Books in a Country That Cannot Read
Related Solari Reports – Libraries: Gateway of Knowledge Collection:
Libraries, Books, & Bibliophiles in Artwork
Art and Relaxation in Libraries
Libraries and Career Preparation
Greatest Libraries of the Ancient World
Greatest Librarians of Our History
Other Related Solari Reports:
Blast from the Past: Week of November 13, 2023: Best Books for 2023
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