The Wild Detectives

Abstract

96 worldliteraturetoday.org photos : katy tran outpost The Bishop Arts District in Dallas is home to a pointillist collection of shops, theaters, and restaurants. But tucked away on Eighth Street is a bookstore distinctly unique, unlike any other in the Dallas area: The Wild Detectives. The shop features independent publishers, small and university presses, and a breadth of international literature. The Wild Detectives serves as a café and bar where customers can choose from various specialty coffees, beers, and wines. There’s no pressure to buy a book. “We didn’t just want this space to be a bookstore,” says Carlos Guajardo, the store’s manager . “We wanted it to be a project space where people could gather to exchange ideas and be creative, and the books serve as a catalyst for that. Of course, so does the booze.” The uniqueness of the bookstore would be unworthy of a simple name. The Wild Detectives comes from a book by Chilean author Roberto Bola- ño, Los detectives salvajes (the owners preferred the Wild Detectives to The Savage Detectives, the title of the book’s English translation). From the name on the door to the smell of freshly cut wood that lines the ceiling and floors, there is a sense of wild adventure in this upstart independent bookstore. The Wild Detectives is reminiscent of a past literary society. It echoes a time when bookstores circulated thoughts and camaraderie as much as the books themselves. In a time of technological saturation and chronic busyness, the Wild Detectives proves that a bookstore can be a second home to those seeking a cup of coffee and a great book. Jeremiah Gentle is a WLT intern and student at the University of Oklahoma, where he focuses on international studies. The Wild Detectives Jeremiah Gentle ...