The day before I was due to open my private library to the public in Accra, the artist I had hired to put the finishing touches to the sign suddenly stopped work and looked at me. ‘I don’t think you should write “Library” in the window,’ he said, concerned. ‘It’s better for me to draw a picture of some books rather than spell out the word.’
As a lifelong logophile, I instinctively baulked at his suggestion, insisting he write the word that meant so much to me rather than compose an image that didn’t. He persisted. ‘It will be much better for business.’
