Among book lovers today, there are those who prefer physicalbooks and those who prefer digital ones. Whether reading for casualenjoyment or for research purposes, readers must navigatethe world of print and online resources. Robin Sloan’s 2012 novel Mr. Penumbra’s 24- Hour Bookstore is an extraordinaryadventure that explores society’s transformationfrom the written word to the modern digital age.
The story follows Clay Jannon, who loses his job as a web designer and ends up working the late shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour bookstore. He soon discovers that the bookstore harborsmany secrets. Although some customers visit the bookstore regularly, they never buy anything. Instead, they check out old books in a strange corner of the store. As Clay’s curiositygrows, he and his friends find that those old books are all written in code.
