BookWars
Capsule by Lisa
Alspector
From the Chicago Reader
Leading up to the political by beginning with the personal,
Jason Rosette chronicles the experiences of used-book
sellers on the streets of Manhattan. With more candor than
confession, he explains in poetic voice-over that isn't
just an affectation how he went from NYU student to
bookseller to filmmaker and presents compassionate but
unsentimental portraits of his colleagues, who also speak
eloquently for themselves. The largely chronological
documentary ranges through the 90s, ultimately showing the
effects of Mayor Giuliani's "quality of life" campaign on
book vending and on the filmmaker. Rosette's humility and
vision make the idea that there's something noble about
selling used literature to pedestrians both persuasive and
inspiring: it provides a public service and lets the
provider earn money without becoming enslaved by
capitalism. 79 min.