When it came to selling books, Joan Dayal thought outside the box. Paper Based, her bookstore – named by the late architect Roger Turton – evolved much like a good novel, with unexpected plot twists.
The Paper Based story began in 1987, when the newly renovated Hotel Normandie in St Ann’s added shops, and Fred Chin Lee, the hotel’s owner, offered space to Dayal.
She said, “Why not?” and opened a shop that catered to hotel guests with toiletries, local newspapers, postcards, greeting cards, wrapping paper and snacks like plantain chips and chocolate bars.
Gradually, a bookstore took shape, as her love for books – especially Caribbean literature – grew. Paper Based became the champion of Caribbean literature and an oasis for book lovers.
But this year, on August 16, Dayal and the staff of Paper Based wrapped up business in the Normandie. The Festival Events of TT (FETT) has bought the bookshop, which will now be in the Writers Centre on Alcazar Street, St Clair, where the literary NGO the Bocas Lit Fest is based.
Dayal has mixed feelings about the end of this era.
“For over 36 years, Paper Based has been my life and my passion. It’s like giving up my child,” she said.
In the early days, Dayal got books on consignment. Heinemann, a London-based publisher with a Caribbean division, had an agent here who helped Dayal stock its books. Book wholesaler Ken Jaikaransingh represented Longman in Trinidad.
Dayal relied on their guidance.
“I wasn’t familiar with literature. My parents moved here from China, and we didn’t have books at home.
"But I became interested in books – especially books from Trinidad.
"Then I noticed there were people who published their little books. (The late Jerry Besson’s) Paria Publishing started up, and I carried their books. The Folklore of Trinidad book was always popular.
"Then I started ordering books – mostly prize-winning books like the Booker Prize and Nobel Prize for literature.”
[caption id="attachment_1032340" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Joan Dayal shares her fond memories of Paper Based Bookstore, at Hotel Normandie, St Ann's. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
Dayal remembered one occasion in the early days when the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) was having a sale on its books.
“I went to get a whole lot of them. The Trinidad Express did books, and I carried them, along with (economist) Lloyd Best’s publications and (the late UWI professor) Dr Gordon Rohlehr’s books on calypso and Trinidad society."
More UWI lecturers sought out Dayal to stock their books. The bookshop took shape.
“I felt I had to do something to promote the books, so I had little readings outside of the shop.”
Since then, dozens of Trinidadian writers have given readings and launched their books there. Among them, artist Jackie Hinkson brought his sister from Tobago to read one of his books, and writer Lawrence Scott came calling.
“Lawrence came to the shop and said seeing so many Caribbean writers represented in the store was so good. I had his book Witch Broom and helped laun
