In a series of interviews conducted by ABC’s Maria Minaya, we’re going to introduce you to (almost) everyone who works at The American Book Centers in Amsterdam and The Hague.

Books form an integral part of our lives not only because they’re our bread and butter, but because our passion for them came first. Our mission is to pass them on. By reading these interviews you’ll discover the faces behind your favorite sections and get a glimpse of who we are.

Meet Barry

Where were you born?
I was born in a little town called Uitenhage in South Africa. It’s smack in the middle of nowhere. Later, when I was still very young, we moved to Cape Town.

What was your favorite food as a kid and what did you hate?
My favorite food was oatmeal, the thick porridge kind. I can’t remember hating anything. My parents always said: “You don’t have to eat it all, but you have to try everything.” That was cool by me, but I remember my brother and sisters sometimes sat at the table looking at their plates for hours and hours and hours. This was the you’re-not-leaving-the-table-until-you’ve-tasted-it-deal. I didn’t have that problem.

Were you read to as a child?
Yes, I was read to every night by either my mother or father.

Did you have books in your house while growing up?
My parents read a lot and right from the word go I was an avid reader. My earliest recollections are of going to the library and getting piles and piles of books. It was also upsetting because I could never take all the books I wanted and was limited to only three books at a time. I was reading before I went to school but remember, there was no television. Reading was the only form of entertainment.

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