記者| 徐悅東
據《福布斯》雜誌報道,明尼阿波利斯的雨果叔叔科幻書店
(Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore)和埃德加·愛倫坡叔叔推理書店
(Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore)在喬治·弗洛伊德
(George Floyd)之死引發的騷亂中慘遭焚毀。
雨果叔叔科幻書店和埃德加·愛倫坡叔叔推理書店變成了廢墟,Last night, Uncle Hugo’s bookstore was burned down. It was the oldest surviving independent science fiction and fantasy bookstore in the United States, and its collection of books is irreplaceable.
— April King (@CubeApril) May 30, 2020
No place is worth a life, but as far as places goes this really hurts a lot. pic.twitter.com/gn654JG1EC
雨果叔叔科幻書店成立於1974年3月2日,是全美國曆史最悠久的科幻類獨立書店。該書店和埃德加·愛倫坡叔叔推理書店的老板和經營者是當地的傳奇書商Don Blyly,一直備受美國讀者歡迎,也成為了明尼阿波利斯的文化地標。在新冠肺炎疫情中,美國多家獨立書店發起眾籌,以求渡過難關。雨果叔叔科幻書店跟許多獨立書店一樣,在今年三月份就關閉,在疫情之中苦苦掙紮。據《明尼阿波利斯/聖保羅商業周刊》報道,Don Blyly表示,由於疫情影響,他的六名員工有四名被解雇,到現在依然失業。由於現金流有限,他還欠出版商5萬美元。
但誰也沒想到的是,喬治·弗洛伊德死於警察執法所引起的騷亂,直接將這兩所書店“夷為平地”。Don Blyly表示,在上周六淩晨三點半,他接到保險公司電話,說雨果叔叔科幻書店的門被撬開了。他急忙趕往現場。當他到達雨果叔叔科幻書店時,書店已經燒起來了。有人告訴Don Blyly,他的兩家書店是被一個戴麵具的白人縱火燒毀的。
雨果叔叔科幻書店和埃德加·愛倫坡叔叔推理書店原先的樣子。The Uncle Hugo's fundraiser is now AUTHORIZED and being run by a family member of the owner. If you would like to donate to help reopen the oldest independent science fiction bookstore in the US, the link is below.https://t.co/hlyCPWaNjF
— Naomi Kritzer (@NaomiKritzer) June 2, 2020
這場大火使得Don Blyly的兩家書店被燒掉了超過十萬本書,其中包括許多珍貴的作家簽名版圖書和收藏數十年的珍藏圖書,損失超過一百萬美元。Don Blyly已將書店和存貨都投保了,他的舊保單在今年5月23日過期。盡管他續簽了,但是他到現在仍然沒有收到付款,對此,他十分緊張。
Don Blyly表示,他想在原址重建這兩家書店,不過這要看保險公司能賠他多少錢。因為他所有的財產都跟這兩家書店捆綁在一起了。雨果叔叔科幻書店的悲慘遭遇也在美國社交媒體上引起了反響。美國許多科幻作家發出提議,讓作家給自己的書簽名,並讓Don Blyly在網上銷售他們的簽名本,以補貼Don Blyly的損失。很多熱心網民希望為這兩間書店眾籌。Don Blyly暫時拒絕了眾籌,他感謝許多熱心讀者的支持,但他告訴人們,暫時不要給他眾籌,因為他要看保險公司最終能賠多少錢再來做決定。
雨果叔叔科幻書店原先的樣子。Farewell to the Minneapolis twin institutions of Uncle Hugo’s/Uncle Edgar’s. Destroyed in a fire, most probably set by nazi scum.
— Better Call Schaal (@GregSchaal) May 30, 2020
I still own the oversized trade of the classic Doctor Who comic “The Iron Legion” as well as too many Target novels and assorted Who ephemera. pic.twitter.com/AWvxzQBD8i
明尼阿波利斯的許多小企業主都讚成美國民眾為喬治·弗洛伊德之死而發聲。但是許多小企業主認為,抗議者不應該砸他們的店。他們為社區服務,也支持平權運動,為許多黑人提供就業,抗風險能力很弱。在這次的騷亂中,很多黑人開的店也都被燒毀了,這讓明尼阿波利斯的許多小企業主感到不解。
參考鏈接:Gandhi Mahal Restaurant, destroyed by fire. Hexagon Bar, destroyed by fire. US Post Office, destroyed by fire. Uncle Hugo's & Uncle Edgar's bookstores, destroyed by fire.
— Briana Bierschbach (@bbierschbach) June 1, 2020
On a normal day (week, month, year) all of these would warrant their own story https://t.co/cUXpiDzQ6c
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/06/02/in-a-riots-ashes-minneapolis-business-owners-support-protesters-but-wish-it-wouldve-gone-differently/#416207c07848,
https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2020/06/02/don-blyly-watched-his-bookstore-burn-and.html,
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/25887/20200601/oldest-independent-science-fiction-bookstore-burned-down-minneapolis-riots.htm