Paulo Afonso Eberhardt (photo), a professional economist, has carried out extensive work at the Spiritist Centre Dias da Cruz, in the southern city of Passo Fundo. He spoke to O Consolador about his work, which focuses mainly on raising awareness to the importance of spiritist books.  O Consolador: How did you become a spiritist?  When I was 25-years-old, I began noticing the presence of sprits around me in several manners – by hearing voices, by seeing spirits during my sleep and while  awake  and through premonitions,

which very often were proved to be right. I knew nothing about spiritism, but I was taken to a spiritist centre by a friend and never really left.

O Consolador: What are your main duties at your spiritist centre? 

I began working at the spiritist centre in 1986. I’m now its director and contribute also as a public speaker, in the library, in the systematised studies of The Mediums Book and the public relations sector, through our website: www.diasdacruz.org.br. 

O Consolador: How did you begin your involvement in the dissemination of the Spiritist literature, through book fairs and book shops? Why do you think spiritist books are of such importance? 

For over 20 years, we had a small book stall, but that wasn’t enough. So in 2002 we opened the Spiritist Bookshop Antonina Xavier (LEAX). It has now, after being expanded twice, more than 1,700 titles, including books, CDs and DVDs. We have a modern, computerised selling system. As for the relevance of spiritist books, I’d like to say that the spiritual world provides us regularly with books to help us develop both morally and intellectually. Good spiritist books are among the best tools for the dissemination of Spiritism, especially among our supporters. The book is a tool that can be used by friends, family and work colleagues to spread the Doctrine. We could say that while a number of people go to spiritist centres in a particular day, thousands of others are reading their books at home. 

O Consolador: Is there a special moment or anecdote you’d like to share with us? 

Our work in the bookshop led to an invitation to visit Angola – mainly the capital, Luanda – in 2008. We were invited to help set up spiritist bookshops in Luanda’s private universities. It was an amazing experience. I’m passionate about books and my the training I had received at Fundacao Getulio Vargas (Note: one of the most prestigious research institutions in Brazil)  had been of great importance in the setting up of our bookshop. Another special moment was taking part in the Passo Fundo Book Fair (in the state of Rio Grande do Sul), where we sold more than 1,100 books. We also distributed more than 300 volumes of the Gospel According to Spiritism in a cunning way; we simply left the books on the benches of the main square with a little note: “this book is yours”. Most of those who picked up the books walked away browsing and reading.  

O Consolador: Tell us a bit more about your day-to-day work at your bookshop. 

There’s great demand for spiritist books. We open the bookshop during our activities, but the bell rings constantly, with people interested in buying books. Those who come in for the first time are often bewildered by the number of titles available. We have plans to extend our opening hours very soon, to 0900 to 2100. We also get many orders from spiritists who live in nearby towns and cities. Most of the demand is for what we call the basic works of Allan Kardec. We have been buying more books every week, just to keep our stocks stable. We’ll also been introducing e-commerce very shortly, that is to say, internet shopping. That’s the future, there’s no avoiding. And it provides access to spiritist books to those who live in our region in towns where there are no specialised bookshops.  

O Consolador: Are spiritist books expensive? Are the prices accessible for most people? 

I believe the prices for the basic works of Kardec are fair, not too bad really, if you consider that the most expensive editions cost 12 reais (Note: equivalent to £4.5 or US$6.5). We try to buy in bulk so we can get better prices. In our bookshop, you can get the basic works for a little as 2.50 reais (£ 0.80 or US$1.10). Most of the new titles cost 30 reais (£11 or £16). The novels cost more, but we’re not really worried about that. If you compare those prices to those of conventional books in other bookshops, I would say that spiritist books are in fact a bit expensive, but one must bear in mind that most of the money goes for charity and that should be taken into account.  

O Consolador: From your experience with the public in the bookshop and book fairs, what are most people looking for? What are their main concerns and the themes they’re really worried about? 

In book fairs, many people bring their own shop list, but a great deal of transactions take place just by impulse. Someone looks at the cover of a book, at the author and ends up buying. In other cases, you’re right, there are specific concerns. We have a whole range of concerns: the physical suffering caused by diseases, emotional problems, with difficult relations at home or at work. Many people have problems with difficult children, there are cases of depression, of guilt. What they’re looking for in the spiritist book is some insight, is understanding their problems, a way out, spiritual comfort. At book events, the demand is more for new titles, good prices, sales. Some come looking for titles recommended by friends, self-help books. At our spiritist centre, people tend to come with more specific demands and needs, looking for comfort to particular problems. The titles we recommend the most are The Gospel According to Spiritism and The Spirits Book. 

O Consolador: What is the role spiritist bookshops can play in assisting those who come looking for clarification and comfort? 

It should sell reliable, good quality books, be it written by mediums or not. The books available should offer comfort and clarification and – why not? – come at an accessible price. We prioritise the basic works of Kardec. We also have a library where some of the same titles can be borrowed free of charge. We should make a clear distinction between the assistance of those in need and selling books.  

O Consolador: What is your advice to directors of spiritist centres who are planning to begin selling books or to open a proper bookshop? 

Their first concern should be the physical space available, as that will shape the relationship with potential clients. The best area to set up a book shop or selling point is at the entrance, by the door of the spiritist centre. Impulse buy accounts for a good deal of sales (-- books must be seen; what’s not seen is often forgotten). Also, the bigger and brighter the area, the biggest the sales will be. One should buy or build specific furniture, shelves, to display the books. You can improvise and have a table top put on a metal or wooden base and display your books there. People should visit other spiritist bookshops to check on the layout and details. You’ll need an accountant, if you decide to go ahead an open a bookshop. Books are not taxed (no VAT) in Brazil, but CDs and DVDs will be taxed. It’s also important to get in touch with booksellers and check the lists of books available. Book distributors have more than 7,000 titles available, but you must be careful. There are many bad titles, many books that contradict the principles of the Doctrine. Also don’t buy too much, as books get old, dirty, with yellow pages, which really presents very badly. Conventional bookshops normally have three units of every title available. In a smaller book shop, you should have only 1 or 2 of each. The exception should be made for the basic works of Kardec and very popular titles, such as Nosso Lar. I believe all spiritist centres should have books available both for sale and for loan. We can’t accept the argument that this or that centre is too small, that there’s not enough staff. The whole dynamics of a spiritist centre lies in the hands of its directors.  

O Consolador: How does your library scheme work? 

We have about 2,500 titles available. The opening hours are the same as for the bookshop, and our system is all computerised. To join, you just need to produce some ID and proof of residence. It’s all free of charge. You can get a book for up to 21 days, and the loan can be renewed once. If the book your book is overdue, you pay a small fine, 1 real per week. But there’s no charge for the first three days. Children can also join. We lend about 5,000 books a year – most of them, spiritist novels, which is not really what we’d like to happen. I can stress enough the importance of every spiritist centre having their own book-loan scheme. Some 200 books go missing every year, but we make up for that with the book donations we get. And the money from overdue fines also helps us buying new books or repairing old ones.  

O Consolador: How do you select the books for your bookshop and the book-loan scheme? How important is it that the books follow the principles of the spiritist doctrine? 

Directors in spiritist centres must assess very carefully the books available, not only for their stylistic merits, but making sure they follow the doctrine. Many publishing houses see spiritism as a niche, as an opportunity for profit-making. They don’t really care if the books published are faithful to the doctrine. That’s why we need to be careful when buying and selling. We maintain contact with spiritist federations in the states, even though we don’t always agree with their choices. We also avoid books written by mediums who charge for their work, even if there’s nothing wrong with the content. When we suspect about any part of the book, its content, any deviations from the principles of spiritism, we don’t buy or sell. We use the same criteria for the book-loan scheme. 

O Consolador: What are your views on the recent boom in the number of spiritist titles? You have long experience in the area, do you think the books available are all relevant? 

We’ve indeed seen in recent years a new wave of  spiritist books launched. Those who were used to the trustworthy medium capacities of Chico Xavier, Divaldo Franco and Raul Teixeira can struggle now, as there’s so much choice. But they need to understand that there’s also very good stuff among the new books being published. Other titles, we could describe as real spiritual rubbish. I’m not even sure they have really been dictated by spirits. There are books with serious theoretical distortions. There are badly written books, with the wrong grammar, repetition of words, poor syntax. That could be happening for a serious of reasons, from limitations in the mediunic process to a rush to publish, ignoring the vital process of analysis and serious revision.   

O Consolador: Is there still demand for the true classics by spiritist authors, such as Leon Denis, Gabriel Delanne and others? 

They have produced the most beautiful books, which have helped so much in the understanding of spiritism, its history, how it all began. The interest in those works depend greatly on the work done by public speakers and also by those who teach the principles of spiritism in spiritist centres and study groups. When the group’s leader reads a particular book, there’s natural interest from the other members. At the other end, those who sell should make sure they display such books in the best, most visible shelves. Many people don’t even know about the existence of those classics. In sum, the spiritist movement can play an important part, by publicising the books of those authors in their systematic studies of the doctrine, in public lectures, in bookshops. As I said before, what’s not before the eye tends to be forgotten. And that is valid to the classic authors too. 

O Consolador: Your final comments, please. 

Once, a spirit told during a meeting: “Spiritist books are the bread, the nourishment that supports the soul in its day-to-day battles”. That is so true. On the other hand, some say the book has its days counted. Or rather, that the paper book will be replaced by the e-book, or electronic book. If that happens, it won’t be soon. And anyway, we’ll have to accept those changes is they do come. The Amazon’s Kindle (e-book reader) has already more than 100,000 titles available. Who knows one day we will no longer open a book, but switch it on. But the pleasure of looking forward to having a particular book, of then holding it, let the imagination travel in its stories, that’s such a great pleasure. Reading, rereading, scribbling notes is a big pleasure and satisfaction to the soul. There’s a popular saying which goes: “He who owns a book, owns a treasure”. So make sure you have several treasures with you, carry them around and you will see that the opportunities and time for reading will come up every now and again – on the queue at the bank, as you wait at the doctor’s practice, on the bus. In life, there are those who write. And, at the same time, there are thousands of people eagerly waiting to read what they write. Be one of them.