*** Researching this blog keeps me up on things that I really want to know about, such as a new book about 617 Squadron of the RAF and their amazing raid on the German dams during World War II, a raid that earned them the sobriquet of The Dambusters.
I'm not sure what new information has been dug up, or whether this is just recounting stories that might have been abridged elsewhere, or perhaps not told because they could not be verified. Oral histories give that latitude, they are more about what the person remembers than about what actually happened. But I was shocked, truly shocked, to learn that there is a remake of the 1954 film due to begin shooting next year, and that the screenplay is being written by Stephen Fry.
For those who don't know, Stephen Fry is a brilliant British actor/comedian/novelist/humorist, whom I first encountered as Jeeves to Hugh Laurie's Bertie Wooster. Fry and Laurie were very well known in England long before either hit the international big time, Fry with his books, Laurie with the American TV show 'House.' If this film actually gets made I'll look forward to seeing it with great relish. (No, not that kind of relish)
*** So, is your place of employment one of the best for 2009? One of the worst? Take a look here and see what you think. It's an interesting article on a site that is gaining credence as a look inside corporate American. You will note, I'm sure, that ebay is one of the 50 worst places to work. What a surprise.
Glassdoor and the best and worst places to work in 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Beginning the last week of 2008
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment to start this last week of 2008.
*** Here is the almost obligatory article on the collapse of Ebay. This time it's from a site that is no fool, The Motley Fool, and is a better than average inspection of why Ebay is falling.
Ebay is dying, so what else is new?
Along with this article, let's look at a discussion of Ebay squashing honest sellers from having discussions on their forums, something they vehemently have denied doing, even though everyone knows they do. Kind of like Baghdad Bob, the guy who denied US tanks were in even in Iraq as you could see M-1A's clanking by in the background.
Ebay caught lying yet again
But if you really want a nice article on why ebay is dying, step away from the traditional sources and read something from someone who knows this story from the inside. This is the best article yet written about ebay's collapse. Except, of course, for those I write.
The real reasons ebay is dying
*** Famed playwright and novelist Dale Wasserman has died aged 94. I am familiar with his movie work, 'Man of La Mancha' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest', but not most of his body of work. It doesn't matter, as Renaissance men like him don't seem too much in evidence anymore. Yours truly excepted, of course.
Dale Wasserman dies at 94
*** The influential author, editor and professer Samuel Huntington has died aged 81. Best known for his writings on the clash of civilizations, East and West, probably his most famous work is The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, which appeared in 1996, and has since been translated into 39 languages. 39! That's a lot it you think about it. Between English, Arabic, Chinese, German and Spanish, that's only five and would cover most of the world.
Samuel Huntington
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2009/02.05/99-huntington.html
*** The holocaust memoir Angel at the Fence has been canceled because the author admits he made parts of it up. Okay, bookies, you all know I've said this is just people worrying about nothing and I'm keeping that opinion. Publish the thing as a novel and be done with it. Jeez. The Hitler Diaries were bad fakes, a complete fraud, but people forked over millions to publish them. This guy made up stuff about a love story?
Survivor made stuff up
*** A very old and rare book about the Holy Land, the earliest one published with hand-colored lithographs, has been discovered hiding in a British library. The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt And Nubia by David Roberts, a three volume set that was published in only 400 copies of the first edition, was found at the Yorkshire Museum.
York is a wonderful city and if anyone is traveling there seeing this book would be a terrific diversion. It's been a few years since I was there but, when I was, there were some quaint and delightful used bookstores.
Not only that but our hotel in York has an actual coal-burning fireplace, the first (and only) time in my life I have sat before such a fire, harkening back to the days of Dickens and belching chimneys and soot-blackened buildings. Cool.
Rare Holy Land books found
*** As usual, the New York Times gets it wrong. Seriously, why anybody still reads that paper is beyond my understanding. 'All the News That's Fit to Invent'. Anyway, yesterday this guy wrote a long article about the demise of the used bookstore because of the internet (nothing like being ten years behind the curve), whining and moaning about amateur sellers killing off brick and mortar shops. Describing penny sellers as if he alone discovered them, like De Soto claiming to have discovered the Mississippi River, they didn't exist before he wrote about them. Of course, the return of the b&m because of those same amateur sellers inability to run a business will be his article 5 years from now, when things will have changed again.
See, it's like this, bookies: an online business isn't much different from a regular business. You have a reputation to uphold and if you continually peddle incorrectly described crap, then you will never build up a customer base because no one will trust you. Who cares if you buy a book for a penny plus shipping if you get the wrong book, or its moldy? Much like any other business, the details count. And while delving into this idea he fails to mention why penny sellers such as the one he dealt with come and go so quickly: if you sell a book for a penny on Amazon.com, you will be paid, by them, about $3 for the book and shipping combined. And that's if you're a Pro-Merchant at $40 a month. If you're not, deduct another dollar. So you get $2 to sell and ship a book where the least amount of postage possible is $2.23 on a paperback, without materials cost factored in. You lose money on every sale but I guess this guy assumes you make it up in volume.
If you are honest, do your best and try to provide a quality service, then you might make it selling online. If you work hard, at least as hard as you would at any other job. And if you're shrewd, and if you can keep costs under control. Maybe you can. Maybe you can't. It's no different from any other business. I, for one, am continually looking at ways to lower overhead. Why can't this guy get that part? It's really not that complicated.
Note: someone asked why I'm so apparently bitter toward this guy. Let me clarify: it's not this guy in particular, but the whole genre of 'journalists' who pontificate about what is going on and make themselves out as experts, when they clearly have only a very shallow understanding of their subject. The whole ebay thing is a great example: mainstream journalists are clueless about what is really going on, but the blogosphere is not. If you read the so-called mainstream financial guys, ebay's failure will be due to technical factors, or auction-versus-fixed price sales or something equally wrong. Very few will even mention the pissed-off sellers, and even fewer will make the connection that ebay's biggest buyers were those same sellers, of whom I am a perfect example. Run off your best sellers and you also run off your best buyers. Not exactly rocket science, unless you're John Donahoe or a journalist.
Those journalists moan and complain about bloggers not being real news people, yet it's the journalists themselves who are unable to keep up. And now you have today's 'comment' part about this blog's news and comment.
New York Times business writer closing in on the lead book story of 1999
Editor's note: I have been told by several sources that I am dead wrong about this guy, he's one of the good ones, I should take back what I've written. I'm not going to do that, but I am putting up this note, in a highlighted color, to give another side to this story. Apparently he is a book collector and friend of the used book industry. Therefore, since I am by no means infallible, I will say that perhaps I was a bit harsh and perhaps it's me that's wrong. We'll see.
*** Here is the almost obligatory article on the collapse of Ebay. This time it's from a site that is no fool, The Motley Fool, and is a better than average inspection of why Ebay is falling.
Ebay is dying, so what else is new?
Along with this article, let's look at a discussion of Ebay squashing honest sellers from having discussions on their forums, something they vehemently have denied doing, even though everyone knows they do. Kind of like Baghdad Bob, the guy who denied US tanks were in even in Iraq as you could see M-1A's clanking by in the background.
Ebay caught lying yet again
But if you really want a nice article on why ebay is dying, step away from the traditional sources and read something from someone who knows this story from the inside. This is the best article yet written about ebay's collapse. Except, of course, for those I write.
The real reasons ebay is dying
*** Famed playwright and novelist Dale Wasserman has died aged 94. I am familiar with his movie work, 'Man of La Mancha' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest', but not most of his body of work. It doesn't matter, as Renaissance men like him don't seem too much in evidence anymore. Yours truly excepted, of course.
Dale Wasserman dies at 94
*** The influential author, editor and professer Samuel Huntington has died aged 81. Best known for his writings on the clash of civilizations, East and West, probably his most famous work is The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, which appeared in 1996, and has since been translated into 39 languages. 39! That's a lot it you think about it. Between English, Arabic, Chinese, German and Spanish, that's only five and would cover most of the world.
Samuel Huntington
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2009/02.05/99-huntington.html
*** The holocaust memoir Angel at the Fence has been canceled because the author admits he made parts of it up. Okay, bookies, you all know I've said this is just people worrying about nothing and I'm keeping that opinion. Publish the thing as a novel and be done with it. Jeez. The Hitler Diaries were bad fakes, a complete fraud, but people forked over millions to publish them. This guy made up stuff about a love story?
Survivor made stuff up
*** A very old and rare book about the Holy Land, the earliest one published with hand-colored lithographs, has been discovered hiding in a British library. The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt And Nubia by David Roberts, a three volume set that was published in only 400 copies of the first edition, was found at the Yorkshire Museum.
York is a wonderful city and if anyone is traveling there seeing this book would be a terrific diversion. It's been a few years since I was there but, when I was, there were some quaint and delightful used bookstores.
Not only that but our hotel in York has an actual coal-burning fireplace, the first (and only) time in my life I have sat before such a fire, harkening back to the days of Dickens and belching chimneys and soot-blackened buildings. Cool.
Rare Holy Land books found
*** As usual, the New York Times gets it wrong. Seriously, why anybody still reads that paper is beyond my understanding. 'All the News That's Fit to Invent'. Anyway, yesterday this guy wrote a long article about the demise of the used bookstore because of the internet (nothing like being ten years behind the curve), whining and moaning about amateur sellers killing off brick and mortar shops. Describing penny sellers as if he alone discovered them, like De Soto claiming to have discovered the Mississippi River, they didn't exist before he wrote about them. Of course, the return of the b&m because of those same amateur sellers inability to run a business will be his article 5 years from now, when things will have changed again.
See, it's like this, bookies: an online business isn't much different from a regular business. You have a reputation to uphold and if you continually peddle incorrectly described crap, then you will never build up a customer base because no one will trust you. Who cares if you buy a book for a penny plus shipping if you get the wrong book, or its moldy? Much like any other business, the details count. And while delving into this idea he fails to mention why penny sellers such as the one he dealt with come and go so quickly: if you sell a book for a penny on Amazon.com, you will be paid, by them, about $3 for the book and shipping combined. And that's if you're a Pro-Merchant at $40 a month. If you're not, deduct another dollar. So you get $2 to sell and ship a book where the least amount of postage possible is $2.23 on a paperback, without materials cost factored in. You lose money on every sale but I guess this guy assumes you make it up in volume.
If you are honest, do your best and try to provide a quality service, then you might make it selling online. If you work hard, at least as hard as you would at any other job. And if you're shrewd, and if you can keep costs under control. Maybe you can. Maybe you can't. It's no different from any other business. I, for one, am continually looking at ways to lower overhead. Why can't this guy get that part? It's really not that complicated.
Note: someone asked why I'm so apparently bitter toward this guy. Let me clarify: it's not this guy in particular, but the whole genre of 'journalists' who pontificate about what is going on and make themselves out as experts, when they clearly have only a very shallow understanding of their subject. The whole ebay thing is a great example: mainstream journalists are clueless about what is really going on, but the blogosphere is not. If you read the so-called mainstream financial guys, ebay's failure will be due to technical factors, or auction-versus-fixed price sales or something equally wrong. Very few will even mention the pissed-off sellers, and even fewer will make the connection that ebay's biggest buyers were those same sellers, of whom I am a perfect example. Run off your best sellers and you also run off your best buyers. Not exactly rocket science, unless you're John Donahoe or a journalist.
Those journalists moan and complain about bloggers not being real news people, yet it's the journalists themselves who are unable to keep up. And now you have today's 'comment' part about this blog's news and comment.
New York Times business writer closing in on the lead book story of 1999
Editor's note: I have been told by several sources that I am dead wrong about this guy, he's one of the good ones, I should take back what I've written. I'm not going to do that, but I am putting up this note, in a highlighted color, to give another side to this story. Apparently he is a book collector and friend of the used book industry. Therefore, since I am by no means infallible, I will say that perhaps I was a bit harsh and perhaps it's me that's wrong. We'll see.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
A stormy Saturday
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
Storms are expected later today here in West Tennessee. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller dislikes storms intensely, much preferring calm, sunny weather with a gently rolling surf lapping at his ankles, a cool drink sweating in the sand by his side and a fascinating book begging to be read. Sigh...
...okay, back to reality.
*** An Estonian firm has published a calendar featuring re-touched reproductions of Waffen-SS recruiting posters from World War II. Naturally, this has sparked controversy.
The Russians don't like this at all. They are offended. Of course, Russia tried to wipe out Estonia in the first place, so they are offended by its very existence. In 1940 Stalin overran the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and eliminated them without provocation. He did this for two reasons: first, because he could and second, he did it while the rest of the world was distracted with Hitler beating up on the French, Dutch and Norwegians. When the Germans overran The Baltic States themselves in 1941, they gave them back at least nominal independence. They then proved to be fertile recruiting grounds for the Waffen-SS as men joined to defend their homeland against the Red Army.
The calendar is history, even if the infamous Waffen-SS lightning bolts are air-brushed out and replaced with a sword. No doubt many are upset at seeing the images of German soldiers, but at least as many must surely be upset by images glorifying Russia. You can't please everybody, and when did it become necessary to try?
Estonian calendar causes uproar
*** There's yet more on the whole issue of whether a 'holocaust memoir' is made up, partly true or wholly true. That horse has been dead for weeks but the New Republic keeps trying to beat it back to life. Here's the link to their latest 'journalism', with as much objectivity as they usually show in their work. Heck, the article is listed in their politics section. I thought it concerned a new book, but apparently to them this is a political matter. Quite telling, if you ask me.
The New Republic continues beating up a couple of old people
See, here's the deal: who cares if it's true or not? If it's a good story, it's a good story. The man has said this is how he remembers it, so if it's apocryphal, so what? But apparently the snots at the New Republic are offended that this old man has made a lot of money without their blessing. It's not like they haven't peddled fiction and called it true.
*** Next weekend Memphis will see the one and only book fair that is held in this entire state. It's put on by another bookseller here in West Tennessee. BBG won't be there as a seller, life keeps intruding and making such things difficult, but he will be there as a friend-of-the-court. I'll try to take some photos of the exciting goings-on. Here's the details.
What: Overton Park Antiquarian Book Fair
Place: Parkview Retirement Community, the Ballroom
1914 Poplar Avenue, at Overton Park, Memphis
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, January 3 and 4, 2009
Times: 10-5 Saturday, 11-4 Sunday
Admission: Free.
Parking: Free street parking
Storms are expected later today here in West Tennessee. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller dislikes storms intensely, much preferring calm, sunny weather with a gently rolling surf lapping at his ankles, a cool drink sweating in the sand by his side and a fascinating book begging to be read. Sigh...
...okay, back to reality.
*** An Estonian firm has published a calendar featuring re-touched reproductions of Waffen-SS recruiting posters from World War II. Naturally, this has sparked controversy.
The Russians don't like this at all. They are offended. Of course, Russia tried to wipe out Estonia in the first place, so they are offended by its very existence. In 1940 Stalin overran the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and eliminated them without provocation. He did this for two reasons: first, because he could and second, he did it while the rest of the world was distracted with Hitler beating up on the French, Dutch and Norwegians. When the Germans overran The Baltic States themselves in 1941, they gave them back at least nominal independence. They then proved to be fertile recruiting grounds for the Waffen-SS as men joined to defend their homeland against the Red Army.
The calendar is history, even if the infamous Waffen-SS lightning bolts are air-brushed out and replaced with a sword. No doubt many are upset at seeing the images of German soldiers, but at least as many must surely be upset by images glorifying Russia. You can't please everybody, and when did it become necessary to try?
Estonian calendar causes uproar
*** There's yet more on the whole issue of whether a 'holocaust memoir' is made up, partly true or wholly true. That horse has been dead for weeks but the New Republic keeps trying to beat it back to life. Here's the link to their latest 'journalism', with as much objectivity as they usually show in their work. Heck, the article is listed in their politics section. I thought it concerned a new book, but apparently to them this is a political matter. Quite telling, if you ask me.
The New Republic continues beating up a couple of old people
See, here's the deal: who cares if it's true or not? If it's a good story, it's a good story. The man has said this is how he remembers it, so if it's apocryphal, so what? But apparently the snots at the New Republic are offended that this old man has made a lot of money without their blessing. It's not like they haven't peddled fiction and called it true.
*** Next weekend Memphis will see the one and only book fair that is held in this entire state. It's put on by another bookseller here in West Tennessee. BBG won't be there as a seller, life keeps intruding and making such things difficult, but he will be there as a friend-of-the-court. I'll try to take some photos of the exciting goings-on. Here's the details.
What: Overton Park Antiquarian Book Fair
Place: Parkview Retirement Community, the Ballroom
1914 Poplar Avenue, at Overton Park, Memphis
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, January 3 and 4, 2009
Times: 10-5 Saturday, 11-4 Sunday
Admission: Free.
Parking: Free street parking
Friday, December 26, 2008
Of power lines and literary grinches
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
Did you survive Christmas? Are you still trying to live through Hannukah? Your friendly neighborhood bookseller turned into a celebrity chef yesterday, cooked up a bunch of food and is dog tired today. I was looking forward to sleeping in a little, but with 4 dogs every time the wind blows somebody starts barking and today they had a great reason. The city tree trimmers are in my backyard today cutting away any tree branches that might potentially fall on the power lines.
This is good, of course. With all of the storms we have, tomorrow being a good example, downed power lines are a constant threat so anything that might alleviate a problem is welcome. But the day after Christmas? Jeez, guys, did you have to be so dedicated to your work?
*** Have we gotten to the point where absolutely everything is either offensive or controversial to someone? The forthcoming book Angel at the Fence by Herman Rosenblat is one man's memory of being imprisoned by the Nazis for being Jewish and seeing the girl of his dreams through the camp's fence. Eventually, after the war, they fall in love and are married. Sweet story, right? The triumph of humanity over evil, right?
Whoa, not so fast. Apparently some sticklers for accuracy are picking the story's details apart claiming they are untrue, as if this old man and his wife and perpetrating a fraud for some nefarious reason.
Give me a break. I mean, really. So the guy's memory isn't great and some details are wrong? That's supposed to be a big deal? Plenty of 'non-fiction' titles appear every year based on bad science, sloppy research or just plain fraud. Certainly memoirs are a prime candidate for the writer to bend history to conform to his or her wishes.
And in fiction the same is true, poor research is overlooked if the story is entertaining. The second worst novel ever written, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, is based on some of the most ludicrous research known to man. Granted, it's a novel, but how many people who read it actually believed the history behind the story?
Some of those who have a problem with this book are survivors, and for them I have a great deal more sympathy. But scholars who couldn't find their way out of their ivory towers if their life depended on it? Not so much. Arguments such as this say a lot more about the critic than they do the author, and the message is quite clear: go away and search for a life.
Whiners whine because that's what whiners do
And another waste of cyber-space
*** Last night I finished Ace Atkins' Wicked City, staying up well past 1 am to get it done. A full review will be coming in the April issue of iloveamysterynewsletter.com, but I don't think my editor would mind me saying that this book was surprisingly good. Wait, that didn't come out right. I thought it would be good, I've read Atkins, met Atkins, like Atkins. He's a great guy. I probably would have said something nice even if the book hadn't been superior. But it was. It was terrific. He has improved drastically as a writer and, based on this one book, I would say is in the first rank of southern crime novelists.
Up next. The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. The sequel to Child 44. Not to be mean or anything, but eat your heart out.
*** So Minneapolis and Seattle are rated as America's two most literate cities? Okay, I can probably accept that. Why is a more interesting question to me, and I have to wonder if weather doesn't have a major part to play.
Braving snow and rain, or sitting by a fire reading a good book? Which would you choose?
Did you survive Christmas? Are you still trying to live through Hannukah? Your friendly neighborhood bookseller turned into a celebrity chef yesterday, cooked up a bunch of food and is dog tired today. I was looking forward to sleeping in a little, but with 4 dogs every time the wind blows somebody starts barking and today they had a great reason. The city tree trimmers are in my backyard today cutting away any tree branches that might potentially fall on the power lines.
This is good, of course. With all of the storms we have, tomorrow being a good example, downed power lines are a constant threat so anything that might alleviate a problem is welcome. But the day after Christmas? Jeez, guys, did you have to be so dedicated to your work?
*** Have we gotten to the point where absolutely everything is either offensive or controversial to someone? The forthcoming book Angel at the Fence by Herman Rosenblat is one man's memory of being imprisoned by the Nazis for being Jewish and seeing the girl of his dreams through the camp's fence. Eventually, after the war, they fall in love and are married. Sweet story, right? The triumph of humanity over evil, right?
Whoa, not so fast. Apparently some sticklers for accuracy are picking the story's details apart claiming they are untrue, as if this old man and his wife and perpetrating a fraud for some nefarious reason.
Give me a break. I mean, really. So the guy's memory isn't great and some details are wrong? That's supposed to be a big deal? Plenty of 'non-fiction' titles appear every year based on bad science, sloppy research or just plain fraud. Certainly memoirs are a prime candidate for the writer to bend history to conform to his or her wishes.
And in fiction the same is true, poor research is overlooked if the story is entertaining. The second worst novel ever written, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, is based on some of the most ludicrous research known to man. Granted, it's a novel, but how many people who read it actually believed the history behind the story?
Some of those who have a problem with this book are survivors, and for them I have a great deal more sympathy. But scholars who couldn't find their way out of their ivory towers if their life depended on it? Not so much. Arguments such as this say a lot more about the critic than they do the author, and the message is quite clear: go away and search for a life.
Whiners whine because that's what whiners do
And another waste of cyber-space
*** Last night I finished Ace Atkins' Wicked City, staying up well past 1 am to get it done. A full review will be coming in the April issue of iloveamysterynewsletter.com, but I don't think my editor would mind me saying that this book was surprisingly good. Wait, that didn't come out right. I thought it would be good, I've read Atkins, met Atkins, like Atkins. He's a great guy. I probably would have said something nice even if the book hadn't been superior. But it was. It was terrific. He has improved drastically as a writer and, based on this one book, I would say is in the first rank of southern crime novelists.
Up next. The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. The sequel to Child 44. Not to be mean or anything, but eat your heart out.
*** So Minneapolis and Seattle are rated as America's two most literate cities? Okay, I can probably accept that. Why is a more interesting question to me, and I have to wonder if weather doesn't have a major part to play.
Braving snow and rain, or sitting by a fire reading a good book? Which would you choose?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas Eve, bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
First, let me thank you all for reading my blog, especially those who do so regularly. I'm sorry if it's addictive nature has caused you problems at work or with your family. Thank you to those who visit my sponsors, it helps a great deal. 2008 was my first ever book blog and I am quite pleased with the results to date and am looking to make 2009 even better. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
*** Okay, look, this column isn't meant to be a bash Ebay type of blog, although I can see where it might seem that way. It's just that every single day brings a slew of articles and news about the demise of the once-great site and, since it's a major place for the exchange of books, it comes under the umbrella of what this blog is about. So I report it. But I don't report more than a small percentage of the stuff that's out there.
As for me, to be honest, I could not be more pleased with Bonanzle. It has just been terrific. Ebay seems so irrelevant now.
Anyway, today's first link is to glassdoor, the site where company employees anonymously rate their own company and boss. John Donahoe's favorable rating continues to sink and the comments and notes explain why much better than I can. the real shame is that when the inevitable occurs and gets tossed out on his ear, he will be richer by the millions for running Ebay into the ground.
Ebay employees vent about Donahoe
*** Moving on, we now find the first article BBG has seen that actually calls into question whether or not Donahoe is going to continue as the executioner, oops, I mean, the head, of Ebay. This is significant, because some of the so-called journalists at the tech blogs and news sites are beginning to look past Ebay's press releases and dig into the real reasons the company is tanking, and they are coming to the only conclusion possible: it's the doofus at the top.
Duh.
One 'journalist' finally scratches at the real reason Ebay is dying
First, let me thank you all for reading my blog, especially those who do so regularly. I'm sorry if it's addictive nature has caused you problems at work or with your family. Thank you to those who visit my sponsors, it helps a great deal. 2008 was my first ever book blog and I am quite pleased with the results to date and am looking to make 2009 even better. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
*** Okay, look, this column isn't meant to be a bash Ebay type of blog, although I can see where it might seem that way. It's just that every single day brings a slew of articles and news about the demise of the once-great site and, since it's a major place for the exchange of books, it comes under the umbrella of what this blog is about. So I report it. But I don't report more than a small percentage of the stuff that's out there.
As for me, to be honest, I could not be more pleased with Bonanzle. It has just been terrific. Ebay seems so irrelevant now.
Anyway, today's first link is to glassdoor, the site where company employees anonymously rate their own company and boss. John Donahoe's favorable rating continues to sink and the comments and notes explain why much better than I can. the real shame is that when the inevitable occurs and gets tossed out on his ear, he will be richer by the millions for running Ebay into the ground.
Ebay employees vent about Donahoe
*** Moving on, we now find the first article BBG has seen that actually calls into question whether or not Donahoe is going to continue as the executioner, oops, I mean, the head, of Ebay. This is significant, because some of the so-called journalists at the tech blogs and news sites are beginning to look past Ebay's press releases and dig into the real reasons the company is tanking, and they are coming to the only conclusion possible: it's the doofus at the top.
Duh.
One 'journalist' finally scratches at the real reason Ebay is dying
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
When will the journalists actually start doing their job?
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** I'm about 100 pages into Wicked City by Ace Atkins and I'm enjoying it a great deal. The basic story is about a murder in Phenix City, AL, in 1954. Phenix City was dubbed the Most Wicked City in America at the time. I haven't read any of his stuff for a while and his writing style has undergone a major change. I find traces of James Lee Burke here, and I don't think it's an accident. I'm still waiting to decide if I like that or not, but there's no doubt the book is quite good. A full review is scheduled for the April issue of iloveamystery.
*** You know, after a while you begin to wonder how business writers keep their jobs. At least, I do. Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal about Ebay's collapse that sounds like this guy has never used Ebay himself, but has only read from company press releases and other news 'journalists' stories. He hasn't a clue about the reason reason Ebay is dying, and all he would have to do is ask any Ebay veteran who has left the site what happened.
For example, the auction model isn't dead, it was just botched by Donahoe. BIN worked, feedback worked, everything worked. But while your friendly neighborhood bookseller applauds this WSJ doofus for at least recognizing that Ebay is having problems, he wonders when someone in the mainstream press is finally going to do some actual work to discover the real reasons Ebay is dying.
In the meantime we'll just have to rely on bloggers and alternate sites to give us the truth. Indeed, we may come to realize that we are the real journalists, not the big guys.
Wall Street Journal nails Ebay for the wrong reasons
*** Just the other day I heard a joke on TV making fun of Beirut, capital of Lebanon. It was some cop show, two patrolmen were driving through a desolate section of an American city and they commented that it looked like Beirut. And really, isn't that the picture we all have in mind, a bombed out city where burned out cars and bullet-riddled buildings are the norm?
Then you see a story like the one here and you realize that somebody had to build those buildings and buy those cars in the first place, right? It seems that Beirut is not so unlike other cities in the world after all, as one of their most venerable bookstores is being closed to make way for a new high rise. On the one hand that's very sad, yet another bookstore shutting down. But on the other hand, high-rise construction doesn't come cheap, so somebody, somewhere, has enough liquid capital to invest in a city that both the Syrians and the Israelis consider a good urban warfare training ground.
Who knew?
Beirut loses a landmark bookstore
*** Under the heading of '1001 Pubs to Visit Before You Die' comes a new book by Christopher Pascoe, not yet published, titled Death, Destruction and a Packet of Peanuts in which the author endeavors to visit all of the major battlefields of the English Civil War and their local pubs. Now there's a vacation! You tour battlefields and museums all day, work up a thirst, then sample the local brew for a few hours. I could do that.
A Dream Vacation
*** For the non-Muslims among us, it seems there is a quiet revolution going on with the young in America. A little known book has caught the imagination of young American Muslims and created a sub-culture that, frankly, could not exist in most other countries.
The Muslim Catcher in the Rye? That might be overstating it a little, but still...
*** I'm about 100 pages into Wicked City by Ace Atkins and I'm enjoying it a great deal. The basic story is about a murder in Phenix City, AL, in 1954. Phenix City was dubbed the Most Wicked City in America at the time. I haven't read any of his stuff for a while and his writing style has undergone a major change. I find traces of James Lee Burke here, and I don't think it's an accident. I'm still waiting to decide if I like that or not, but there's no doubt the book is quite good. A full review is scheduled for the April issue of iloveamystery.
*** You know, after a while you begin to wonder how business writers keep their jobs. At least, I do. Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal about Ebay's collapse that sounds like this guy has never used Ebay himself, but has only read from company press releases and other news 'journalists' stories. He hasn't a clue about the reason reason Ebay is dying, and all he would have to do is ask any Ebay veteran who has left the site what happened.
For example, the auction model isn't dead, it was just botched by Donahoe. BIN worked, feedback worked, everything worked. But while your friendly neighborhood bookseller applauds this WSJ doofus for at least recognizing that Ebay is having problems, he wonders when someone in the mainstream press is finally going to do some actual work to discover the real reasons Ebay is dying.
In the meantime we'll just have to rely on bloggers and alternate sites to give us the truth. Indeed, we may come to realize that we are the real journalists, not the big guys.
Wall Street Journal nails Ebay for the wrong reasons
*** Just the other day I heard a joke on TV making fun of Beirut, capital of Lebanon. It was some cop show, two patrolmen were driving through a desolate section of an American city and they commented that it looked like Beirut. And really, isn't that the picture we all have in mind, a bombed out city where burned out cars and bullet-riddled buildings are the norm?
Then you see a story like the one here and you realize that somebody had to build those buildings and buy those cars in the first place, right? It seems that Beirut is not so unlike other cities in the world after all, as one of their most venerable bookstores is being closed to make way for a new high rise. On the one hand that's very sad, yet another bookstore shutting down. But on the other hand, high-rise construction doesn't come cheap, so somebody, somewhere, has enough liquid capital to invest in a city that both the Syrians and the Israelis consider a good urban warfare training ground.
Who knew?
Beirut loses a landmark bookstore
*** Under the heading of '1001 Pubs to Visit Before You Die' comes a new book by Christopher Pascoe, not yet published, titled Death, Destruction and a Packet of Peanuts in which the author endeavors to visit all of the major battlefields of the English Civil War and their local pubs. Now there's a vacation! You tour battlefields and museums all day, work up a thirst, then sample the local brew for a few hours. I could do that.
A Dream Vacation
*** For the non-Muslims among us, it seems there is a quiet revolution going on with the young in America. A little known book has caught the imagination of young American Muslims and created a sub-culture that, frankly, could not exist in most other countries.
The Muslim Catcher in the Rye? That might be overstating it a little, but still...
Monday, December 22, 2008
Patton and models
*** A former OSS agent claims in a new book that there was an assassination plot that lead to the death of General George S. Patton. Patton, as you know, was killed in a car wreck before 1945 was over. While stationed in Europe with the army of occupation he had been making noises about the dangers of the Soviet Union, and felt that a war with the USSR was inevitable and we might as well get on with it while the military forces were in place.
In Target Patton author Robert Wilcox makes his case, based on the diaries of an OSS assassin. Most of you know that your friendly neighborhood bookseller leads a double life, with his alter-ego being that of writer. And yes, he has been paid for his work on World War II, a modest bit, but still. So BBG has at least some street cred when it comes to matters of WW2. And he thinks this whole this is entirely possible.
The actions of the US leadership in World War II, both civilian and military, were, at times, scandalous. Taken overall American generalship, that is, high ranking American military leaders, could be considered as mediocre. For every George Patton there was a Mark Clark, or Dwight Eisenhower. The best thing that can be said for the American leadership was that Sir Bernard Law Montgomery was not one of them.
Anyway, I will read this book. It comes on the heel's of the recent spate of post-war books I've read, including the massively influential The Wages of Destruction and my current read, After the Reich. It also ties in with the book I am currently researching. Here's a couple of links for you to decide for yourself.
Target Patton
http://www.robertkwilcox.com/
*** This isn't book related, it's mopey nostalgia. Sorry. When I was a kid, not long ago, I built model airplanes. Like, all the time. Every day I would ride my bike to the store (back when that wasn't considered a suicidal tendency) for a new model and/or paint, come home, build it, then whoosh it around. I hung them from the ceiling, I cut out the box tops and wall-papered my bedroom with them. Great stuff.
So when I saw this article about German models outselling British ones in the UK, it brought back pleasant memories and I wanted to share them. By the way, I get why the kids are buying more German models. The Luftwaffe might have lost, but their planes just looked cooler.
You mean people still build model airplanes?
*** Julius Fast has died. He won the very first Edgar Award in 1946 for first novel Watchful at Night, wrote several other mysteries and then branched out into pop psychology. He was 89.
In Target Patton author Robert Wilcox makes his case, based on the diaries of an OSS assassin. Most of you know that your friendly neighborhood bookseller leads a double life, with his alter-ego being that of writer. And yes, he has been paid for his work on World War II, a modest bit, but still. So BBG has at least some street cred when it comes to matters of WW2. And he thinks this whole this is entirely possible.
The actions of the US leadership in World War II, both civilian and military, were, at times, scandalous. Taken overall American generalship, that is, high ranking American military leaders, could be considered as mediocre. For every George Patton there was a Mark Clark, or Dwight Eisenhower. The best thing that can be said for the American leadership was that Sir Bernard Law Montgomery was not one of them.
Anyway, I will read this book. It comes on the heel's of the recent spate of post-war books I've read, including the massively influential The Wages of Destruction and my current read, After the Reich. It also ties in with the book I am currently researching. Here's a couple of links for you to decide for yourself.
Target Patton
http://www.robertkwilcox.com/
*** This isn't book related, it's mopey nostalgia. Sorry. When I was a kid, not long ago, I built model airplanes. Like, all the time. Every day I would ride my bike to the store (back when that wasn't considered a suicidal tendency) for a new model and/or paint, come home, build it, then whoosh it around. I hung them from the ceiling, I cut out the box tops and wall-papered my bedroom with them. Great stuff.
So when I saw this article about German models outselling British ones in the UK, it brought back pleasant memories and I wanted to share them. By the way, I get why the kids are buying more German models. The Luftwaffe might have lost, but their planes just looked cooler.
You mean people still build model airplanes?
*** Julius Fast has died. He won the very first Edgar Award in 1946 for first novel Watchful at Night, wrote several other mysteries and then branched out into pop psychology. He was 89.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Winter, Westlake, Wodehouse & weirdness
Good morning bookies! Stand by for a special Sunday news and comment blog.
Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter. From here on out the days will be getting longer. Thank goodness. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller hates cold weather. If you live in a warm climate, say, Key Largo, we could probably work out a trade, you live here, I live there.
But I'll tell you in advance, the seafood is better there. I know because the seafood is better anywhere than in West Tennessee.
So who was the first genius to gaze at the sky, decipher the mysteries of astronomy and deduce that the Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, to predict its occurrence? Was it an ancient Egyptian, a Sumerian, a Chinese? And if you find a name, is that really the person or did they steal the discovery from someone whose name is lost to history?
*** Last night I finished Dirty Money by Richard Stark. Stark, as you all surely know, is the else-name of Donald Westlake. This is the newest Parker novel. You know Parker, the criminal who usually kills a few people very book while committing mayhem. He's not likeable, he's not a good guy, he doesn't rob from the rich to give to the poor and you can't trust him. It's the sequel to Nobody Runs Forever, picking up a week after that book ends.
So why should read about a guy who has no redeeming qualities? I have no idea, but the series has been going for 46 years now, it's been made into numerous movies and if he wrote one of these novels every month I would buy and read them all. A full review will be in a future issue of iloveamysterynewsletter, but for now do yourself a favor and read this. But only if you've already read Nobody Runs Forever. Westlake is genius.
*** An ever popular topic of discussion is what you find in the pages of used and old books. There are plenty of anecdotes about finding money, food, papers, embarrassments and biologically dangerous things in books that are no doubt glad to be rid of them. The strangest thing I have found is probably a hand-written, unsigned note from one man to another describing how much fun he (the writer) is having with the other man's wife while Man #2 is away in Korea fighting the communists. I have no idea whether it's real or not, whether it's true, was ever sent, nothing. But if it was real and it was sent, then how did it end up in a book? Why wasn't it signed? Was it a rough draft? If I can find it I'll post the text for you to decide for yourself. If you have any stories about things you've found in books, send them to me at come2reven@aol.com and I'll post them.
In the meantime, here's an article about things other people have found.
Oddities and other things found in books
*** If I were ever forced to compile a list of essential authors, that is, writers whose work I would not want to live without, one of the few on the list that would not be up for debate would be P.G. Wodehouse. No doubt he wrote something bad or, worse, ordinary, but fortunately for me I have never encountered it.
Like most people my favorites are Jeeves & Wooster. For perfect comedic fantasy, Wodehouse cannot be mastered. Some have tried, me for one, and some have borrowed from his style to create masterpieces of their own, (If Jasper Fforde isn't a Wodehouse reader then I have enough books) but for sheer perfection of voice there is only one Wodehouse.
Dedicated viewers of PBS who also watch Fox's TV drama 'House' must, like me, have trouble seeing Hugh Laurie as anyone other than Bertie Wooster. I keep waiting for Stephen Fry to show up and politely remind House that it's time to stop playing doctor, Aunt Agatha is due for a visit any moment and he really must shave first.
So it's with delight that I share this link to a UK article about Everyman's re-publication of everything Wodehouse. If you've already bought all of the other stuff I have listed as great ideas for those who want to buy me stuff, these would be a welcome addition.
All things Wodehouse
*** We're going to get all sorts of lists soon, good, bad, indifferent. So here's one from the UK about the weird and unusual. Their choice for Turkey of the Year, a prize title that in itself seems better left in the 80's, was dead-on perfect. Jamie Oliver was once a fun TV chef who has turned messianic and has become self-righteously annoying. Of course people eat foods that are bad for them, mostly because they taste good!
A UK view of the weird and unfortunate
Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter. From here on out the days will be getting longer. Thank goodness. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller hates cold weather. If you live in a warm climate, say, Key Largo, we could probably work out a trade, you live here, I live there.
But I'll tell you in advance, the seafood is better there. I know because the seafood is better anywhere than in West Tennessee.
So who was the first genius to gaze at the sky, decipher the mysteries of astronomy and deduce that the Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, to predict its occurrence? Was it an ancient Egyptian, a Sumerian, a Chinese? And if you find a name, is that really the person or did they steal the discovery from someone whose name is lost to history?
*** Last night I finished Dirty Money by Richard Stark. Stark, as you all surely know, is the else-name of Donald Westlake. This is the newest Parker novel. You know Parker, the criminal who usually kills a few people very book while committing mayhem. He's not likeable, he's not a good guy, he doesn't rob from the rich to give to the poor and you can't trust him. It's the sequel to Nobody Runs Forever, picking up a week after that book ends.
So why should read about a guy who has no redeeming qualities? I have no idea, but the series has been going for 46 years now, it's been made into numerous movies and if he wrote one of these novels every month I would buy and read them all. A full review will be in a future issue of iloveamysterynewsletter, but for now do yourself a favor and read this. But only if you've already read Nobody Runs Forever. Westlake is genius.
*** An ever popular topic of discussion is what you find in the pages of used and old books. There are plenty of anecdotes about finding money, food, papers, embarrassments and biologically dangerous things in books that are no doubt glad to be rid of them. The strangest thing I have found is probably a hand-written, unsigned note from one man to another describing how much fun he (the writer) is having with the other man's wife while Man #2 is away in Korea fighting the communists. I have no idea whether it's real or not, whether it's true, was ever sent, nothing. But if it was real and it was sent, then how did it end up in a book? Why wasn't it signed? Was it a rough draft? If I can find it I'll post the text for you to decide for yourself. If you have any stories about things you've found in books, send them to me at come2reven@aol.com and I'll post them.
In the meantime, here's an article about things other people have found.
Oddities and other things found in books
*** If I were ever forced to compile a list of essential authors, that is, writers whose work I would not want to live without, one of the few on the list that would not be up for debate would be P.G. Wodehouse. No doubt he wrote something bad or, worse, ordinary, but fortunately for me I have never encountered it.
Like most people my favorites are Jeeves & Wooster. For perfect comedic fantasy, Wodehouse cannot be mastered. Some have tried, me for one, and some have borrowed from his style to create masterpieces of their own, (If Jasper Fforde isn't a Wodehouse reader then I have enough books) but for sheer perfection of voice there is only one Wodehouse.
Dedicated viewers of PBS who also watch Fox's TV drama 'House' must, like me, have trouble seeing Hugh Laurie as anyone other than Bertie Wooster. I keep waiting for Stephen Fry to show up and politely remind House that it's time to stop playing doctor, Aunt Agatha is due for a visit any moment and he really must shave first.
So it's with delight that I share this link to a UK article about Everyman's re-publication of everything Wodehouse. If you've already bought all of the other stuff I have listed as great ideas for those who want to buy me stuff, these would be a welcome addition.
All things Wodehouse
*** We're going to get all sorts of lists soon, good, bad, indifferent. So here's one from the UK about the weird and unusual. Their choice for Turkey of the Year, a prize title that in itself seems better left in the 80's, was dead-on perfect. Jamie Oliver was once a fun TV chef who has turned messianic and has become self-righteously annoying. Of course people eat foods that are bad for them, mostly because they taste good!
A UK view of the weird and unfortunate
Saturday, December 20, 2008
A bit of this and a bit of that
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Anyone who has read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings knows that Professor Tolkien was a genius, but was he also an archaeologist? If the findings concerning the so-called hobbit found on the Indonesian island of Flores are correct, it would seem so. Will we soon find the mummified remains of tall hominids with pointy ears? Or huge reptiles with wings? Heck if I know, but wouldn't that be fun?
I wonder if scientists have any way of discovering whether this little fellow had an English accent.
The remains of a Took or a Baggins, perhaps?
*** The English have a new hobby: guessing what books are on Tony Blair's shelves. It seems that the Blairs had their Christmas card taken in front of their bookshelves, so now there's a fad trying to read the titles to see what they read.
How many can you identify?
*** As always, if there is anything you would like to see more or less of in this blog, let me know. No guarantees, of course, our budget for purchasing new material is fairly small, but I'll do what I can.
*** BBG has to admit that he's not a Harry Potter reader. It's not that I have anything against Harry, on the contrary, I love the movies, but for some reason I never felt the need to read the books. I suspect that I might have found myself comparing them to LOTR and that would not have been fair, Rowling isn't Tolkien, nobody is, but that should not even be an issue. Anyway, I haven't read them but I greatly admire Rowling for what she has done. And with The Tales of Beedle the Bard she has turned her fame into a great boon for children in need.
Rowling raises big bucks for kids
If you happen to live in Edinburgh, or are visiting, a drop in to see the hand-written version of this book on display is a must.
*** Nothing is sacred. First came the sequel to Gone With the Wind, then the makers of the 'Lord of the Rings' movies had the elves show up at the Battle of Helm's Deep and now Victor Hugo has the ignominy of having his classic Les Miserables spawn two sequels, additions that are now officially approved by a French court. Good grief. What's next, Sherlock Holmes books written by others than A. Conan Doyle?
Oh, yeah, that's right. There are lots of those. I even like some of them, the ones by Laurie R. King.
Okay, but still, Les Miserables? It seems heretical.
Victor Hugo spinning like a top six feet under
*** Anyone who has read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings knows that Professor Tolkien was a genius, but was he also an archaeologist? If the findings concerning the so-called hobbit found on the Indonesian island of Flores are correct, it would seem so. Will we soon find the mummified remains of tall hominids with pointy ears? Or huge reptiles with wings? Heck if I know, but wouldn't that be fun?
I wonder if scientists have any way of discovering whether this little fellow had an English accent.
The remains of a Took or a Baggins, perhaps?
*** The English have a new hobby: guessing what books are on Tony Blair's shelves. It seems that the Blairs had their Christmas card taken in front of their bookshelves, so now there's a fad trying to read the titles to see what they read.
How many can you identify?
*** As always, if there is anything you would like to see more or less of in this blog, let me know. No guarantees, of course, our budget for purchasing new material is fairly small, but I'll do what I can.
*** BBG has to admit that he's not a Harry Potter reader. It's not that I have anything against Harry, on the contrary, I love the movies, but for some reason I never felt the need to read the books. I suspect that I might have found myself comparing them to LOTR and that would not have been fair, Rowling isn't Tolkien, nobody is, but that should not even be an issue. Anyway, I haven't read them but I greatly admire Rowling for what she has done. And with The Tales of Beedle the Bard she has turned her fame into a great boon for children in need.
Rowling raises big bucks for kids
If you happen to live in Edinburgh, or are visiting, a drop in to see the hand-written version of this book on display is a must.
*** Nothing is sacred. First came the sequel to Gone With the Wind, then the makers of the 'Lord of the Rings' movies had the elves show up at the Battle of Helm's Deep and now Victor Hugo has the ignominy of having his classic Les Miserables spawn two sequels, additions that are now officially approved by a French court. Good grief. What's next, Sherlock Holmes books written by others than A. Conan Doyle?
Oh, yeah, that's right. There are lots of those. I even like some of them, the ones by Laurie R. King.
Okay, but still, Les Miserables? It seems heretical.
Victor Hugo spinning like a top six feet under
Friday, December 19, 2008
Baseball, World War II and other recipes
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
First, a request. If anyone has book related news, be it from authors, bookstores, websites, whatever, please send it to me. Thank you.
*** Why is the press always the last to cover a story? Here's a nice little recap about what we already know, that Ebay is flopping around like a catfish on a pier.
The Setting Ebay sun
*** Baseball and World War II. Seriously, if you were going to write a 'guy' book, especially for Baby Boomers, how could you go wrong with either subject? You couldn't. But you could combine the two, which is what authors Todd Anton & Bill Rowlin have done in their new book When Baseball Went to War published by Rounder Books. It's a sequel of sorts to Anton's 2007 publication No Greater Love: Life Stories from the Men Who Saved Baseball, also published by Rounder.
I haven't read this one, thus I take the linked review at face value. But baseball players did flock to defend the country and, while it's a story that has been told, I have no doubt there was plenty left for the authors to discover. For every Ted Williams there must have been two or three or four lesser players who fought (and died) without the limelight, doing their duty because it was the right thing to do. We owe them more than we can repay.
When Baseball Went to War
*** I recently wrote about the upcoming auction of some rare A.A.Milne-related material. A selection of original E.H. Shepard drawings for the books was going under the gavel. Could it bring the pre-auction estimates in the current economic climate? Well, yes, it could.
It seems they sold for about $2 million. One can only wonder if the artist ever had any idea his work could command such prices.
*** HarperVoyager has acquired the rights to two Janny Wurts novels, the final two volumes in the Wars of Light and Shadow series. This is meaningful to your friendly neighborhood bookseller because a couple of years ago he met Ms. Wurts at MidSouthCon. I had the chance to sit in the lobby and peruse her sketch book and she told me that some of the drawings would be in future books of the Wars of Light and Shadow. Now that is happening and I will most likely see the finished versions of those works in progress. A bit surreal.
*** Johnny Depp's brother has his debut novel out, a supposedly Elmore Leonard-esque romp in Hollywood. Daniel Depp certainly has a varied resume, from bookseller to screen-writer. Whether this translates into good fiction or not, I have no idea. I'll let you decide.
Daniel Depp takes the first step
*** Finally finishing Friday's filings, this bit of pompous fluff. It seems that pundits were asked what books they are reading and what they would recommend. After perusing the list, I can tell you that I don't believe any of them are actually reading what they proclaim, but listed what they think makes them sound more punditey. (And yes, I know that's not a word)
I mean, come on. If you want to whack us over the head with your punditness, get a blog.
Stuffed shirts puffed and fluffed
First, a request. If anyone has book related news, be it from authors, bookstores, websites, whatever, please send it to me. Thank you.
*** Why is the press always the last to cover a story? Here's a nice little recap about what we already know, that Ebay is flopping around like a catfish on a pier.
The Setting Ebay sun
*** Baseball and World War II. Seriously, if you were going to write a 'guy' book, especially for Baby Boomers, how could you go wrong with either subject? You couldn't. But you could combine the two, which is what authors Todd Anton & Bill Rowlin have done in their new book When Baseball Went to War published by Rounder Books. It's a sequel of sorts to Anton's 2007 publication No Greater Love: Life Stories from the Men Who Saved Baseball, also published by Rounder.
I haven't read this one, thus I take the linked review at face value. But baseball players did flock to defend the country and, while it's a story that has been told, I have no doubt there was plenty left for the authors to discover. For every Ted Williams there must have been two or three or four lesser players who fought (and died) without the limelight, doing their duty because it was the right thing to do. We owe them more than we can repay.
When Baseball Went to War
*** I recently wrote about the upcoming auction of some rare A.A.Milne-related material. A selection of original E.H. Shepard drawings for the books was going under the gavel. Could it bring the pre-auction estimates in the current economic climate? Well, yes, it could.
It seems they sold for about $2 million. One can only wonder if the artist ever had any idea his work could command such prices.
*** HarperVoyager has acquired the rights to two Janny Wurts novels, the final two volumes in the Wars of Light and Shadow series. This is meaningful to your friendly neighborhood bookseller because a couple of years ago he met Ms. Wurts at MidSouthCon. I had the chance to sit in the lobby and peruse her sketch book and she told me that some of the drawings would be in future books of the Wars of Light and Shadow. Now that is happening and I will most likely see the finished versions of those works in progress. A bit surreal.
*** Johnny Depp's brother has his debut novel out, a supposedly Elmore Leonard-esque romp in Hollywood. Daniel Depp certainly has a varied resume, from bookseller to screen-writer. Whether this translates into good fiction or not, I have no idea. I'll let you decide.
Daniel Depp takes the first step
*** Finally finishing Friday's filings, this bit of pompous fluff. It seems that pundits were asked what books they are reading and what they would recommend. After perusing the list, I can tell you that I don't believe any of them are actually reading what they proclaim, but listed what they think makes them sound more punditey. (And yes, I know that's not a word)
I mean, come on. If you want to whack us over the head with your punditness, get a blog.
Stuffed shirts puffed and fluffed
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A week to go
Good day bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
One week until Christmas. Are you ready? I haven't even had a tree up the last two years, don't ask why, but this year I am going to do my best to put one up. I hope your season is terrific!
*** For all of you Bonanzlers out there (you know who you are) the linked article will come as no surprise. To all of you Wigixers out there, it might. I knew the benefits of Bonanzle, being as BBG has a booth there, but Wigix is my next site to explore and learn.
With Ebay in crash and burn mode it was inevitable that dozens of alternate sites would try to gash out a chunk of market share for themselves. Older sites such as OnlineAuction, ioffer or even the miserably failed overstock.com auctions have been around and nibbled away at Ebay, without ever really taking root in the public consciousness. But the new breed is here and if I were Ebay, I would be concerned.
Sure, at the moment Bonanzle only has 14,000+ members and a little more than 500,000 listings. But the site was only officially launched on Sept. 1, 2008. Good grief people, it's barely out of beta and is the fastest growing alternate site in history. And there are books there, too. At least one other bookseller of note (besides me, natch) is there and more are signing up.
Wigix I'm not as familiar with, yet, but it's getting great press and that doesn't happen in a vacuum. So, even as Ebay blunders about screwing things up, people like me just don't care anymore because we have moved on. My concerns now are in watching a historic train wreck, the like of which the net has never seen. The demise of Ebay will be taught in business schools for decades to come.
Bonanzle and Wigix are coming on strong
*** Children's book collectors in New England are in for a treat. It seems a gathering of authors and illustrators are putting together their own tours of independent book stores, and that now more than 40 have signed on. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller thinks this is great, because, while he has nothing against chain stores per se, indies are much more responsive to the marketplace and generally add to the cultural health of a community.
New England Children's book authors and illustrators start their own tour
One week until Christmas. Are you ready? I haven't even had a tree up the last two years, don't ask why, but this year I am going to do my best to put one up. I hope your season is terrific!
*** For all of you Bonanzlers out there (you know who you are) the linked article will come as no surprise. To all of you Wigixers out there, it might. I knew the benefits of Bonanzle, being as BBG has a booth there, but Wigix is my next site to explore and learn.
With Ebay in crash and burn mode it was inevitable that dozens of alternate sites would try to gash out a chunk of market share for themselves. Older sites such as OnlineAuction, ioffer or even the miserably failed overstock.com auctions have been around and nibbled away at Ebay, without ever really taking root in the public consciousness. But the new breed is here and if I were Ebay, I would be concerned.
Sure, at the moment Bonanzle only has 14,000+ members and a little more than 500,000 listings. But the site was only officially launched on Sept. 1, 2008. Good grief people, it's barely out of beta and is the fastest growing alternate site in history. And there are books there, too. At least one other bookseller of note (besides me, natch) is there and more are signing up.
Wigix I'm not as familiar with, yet, but it's getting great press and that doesn't happen in a vacuum. So, even as Ebay blunders about screwing things up, people like me just don't care anymore because we have moved on. My concerns now are in watching a historic train wreck, the like of which the net has never seen. The demise of Ebay will be taught in business schools for decades to come.
Bonanzle and Wigix are coming on strong
*** Children's book collectors in New England are in for a treat. It seems a gathering of authors and illustrators are putting together their own tours of independent book stores, and that now more than 40 have signed on. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller thinks this is great, because, while he has nothing against chain stores per se, indies are much more responsive to the marketplace and generally add to the cultural health of a community.
New England Children's book authors and illustrators start their own tour
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
OPEN SEASON by C.J. Box
Open Season by C.J. Box. Putnam, 2001.
The first Joe Pickett novel is quite typical of a Putnam edition of this period. Green cloth backstrap, green paper boards, quarto. Box's signature is very plain, as you can see. In person he's a fine guy, really top of the heap. If you get a chance, attend one of his signings.
DRAGONFLY by Dean Koontz (writing as K.R. Dwyer)
Dragonfly by Dean Koontz, writing as K.R. Dwyer. Random House, 1975.
As I blog this, Koontz is listed as having written 106 books, in case you're counting. That's a lot. And in the early years he really cranked them out under a variety of pseudonyms. The Dwyer name he used twice, as both Deanna and K.R.
Dragonfly is typical of Random House in the mid 70's, octavo, black cloth backstrap and yellow paper boards. The standard Random House first edition indicators are present, a number line ending in '2' with the First Edition slug. The jacket is also pretty typical, not particularly fragile. The front illustration is so 70's it's almost a cliche.
THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Riverhead Books, 2003.
When Hosseini's novel was first published, no one thought it would ever be the runaway best-seller that it became. Indeed, some first editions were actually remaindered. The book's construction is better than average, though, with black cloth backstrap and dark green paper boards that seem a bit more solid than is normal. Hosseini is well known for signing his books in both English and Farsi and the photo here is a great example of that. Standard first edition nomenclature.
Did Scrooge bet on the Giants?
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Indications of Ebay's continuing slide are becoming common-place, but even the casual observer cannot fail to see the irony in this latest bit of news. One of John Donahoe's excuses for wiping out the best ecommerce site on the net was to make it an Amazon clone. There are rumors that he wants to be Jeff Bezos' love child, or at least his adopted son, but those are still rumors at this point. Anyway, for the first time in a long time Amazon beat Ebay in unique visitors during November and, if you're Ebay, this is a very bad thing.
Ebay's competitors passing it on the downhill side
This means that Ebay has given up its place as the premier site for odd and unusual things on the web to beat Amazon at its own game, except Amazon is increasing its lead while Ebay is alienating its market. How, exactly, this benefits anyone except Amazon is unknown at this point. But BBG is beginning to smell a rat. Could Ebay be committing suicide on purpose, to directly aid Amazon in taking over the world? Granted, that seems a bit extreme on the surface of it, but what else explains the stupidity of telling all of your customers to get lost? Except, of course, stupidity itself.
*** From my editor at ILAM and the lady who created the site, Sally Powers, comes this snippet about popular crime fictioneer J.A. Jance: "J. A. Jance has a book coming out next summer combining two of her series characters, J. P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady. She's on tour with the current Ali Reynolds book and another is coming out next December. If you get a chance to hear her speak don't miss it. Her anecdotes, especially about book tours, are priceless. As is her opinion of New York publicists and their grasp of geography!"
So there you have it, Jance-o-philes. Catch her on her current tour and save your pennies for next summer's big event.
*** Okay, your friendly neighborhood bookseller admits that he is a junkie for biographies about our Founding Fathers, an interest sparked by David McCullough's utterly brilliant biography of John Adams. So it's with surprise and excitement that he sees Lynne Cheney will be writing a new biography of James Madison. I have no idea whether Mrs. Cheney can write or not, but while Madison is a crucial figure in the early history of the USA, even today his wife remains better known that her husband, (which makes me crave a Dolly Madison cake about now) his place in American history has not really been solidified in the public mind. I'm glad of this and wish her the best.
*** I include the next story for several reasons. One, I love A Christmas Carol, both the book and most of the various movie versions. Indeed, the Patrick Stewart production is on tonight and I may choose it for my viewing pleasure. Two, I don't really know much about Dickens so something biographical would be a pleasure. Three, and most importantly, the linked review of the new book by Les Standiford, The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits, gives me the chance to say that Standiford is one fine fellow, a better writer (his John Deal mysteries were terrific and deserved far more attention than they received) and to post the picture that I have of him with some unknown but dashing chap in a bookstore.
Standiford is not to be blamed for the crappy quality of the photo. He's the distinguished looking man on the right.
Les Standiford brings Marley and Scrooge back to life
*** It is with great reluctance that BBG includes this story concerning two books about the 1958 NFL championship game. The game was great, perhaps the greatest ever played, but the reluctance comes in that your resident blogger actually remembers the game. Or, at least, bits of it. I was a tyke at the time, running around and being obnoxious, and have only dream-images of the game being on at my uncle's house while my relatives crowded around the flickering screen of the TV. I have no idea why it made such an impression on me. None. I wasn't old enough to know what football was, yet there was something so profound about that game that I remember the event. Strange thing, memory, storing away stuff for no apparent purpose and forgetting things you really should remember.
Anyway, there are two new books about that game, either or which would probably be a great gift idea for dad or granddad.
Fabulous football fifty years gone
*** Indications of Ebay's continuing slide are becoming common-place, but even the casual observer cannot fail to see the irony in this latest bit of news. One of John Donahoe's excuses for wiping out the best ecommerce site on the net was to make it an Amazon clone. There are rumors that he wants to be Jeff Bezos' love child, or at least his adopted son, but those are still rumors at this point. Anyway, for the first time in a long time Amazon beat Ebay in unique visitors during November and, if you're Ebay, this is a very bad thing.
Ebay's competitors passing it on the downhill side
This means that Ebay has given up its place as the premier site for odd and unusual things on the web to beat Amazon at its own game, except Amazon is increasing its lead while Ebay is alienating its market. How, exactly, this benefits anyone except Amazon is unknown at this point. But BBG is beginning to smell a rat. Could Ebay be committing suicide on purpose, to directly aid Amazon in taking over the world? Granted, that seems a bit extreme on the surface of it, but what else explains the stupidity of telling all of your customers to get lost? Except, of course, stupidity itself.
*** From my editor at ILAM and the lady who created the site, Sally Powers, comes this snippet about popular crime fictioneer J.A. Jance: "J. A. Jance has a book coming out next summer combining two of her series characters, J. P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady. She's on tour with the current Ali Reynolds book and another is coming out next December. If you get a chance to hear her speak don't miss it. Her anecdotes, especially about book tours, are priceless. As is her opinion of New York publicists and their grasp of geography!"
So there you have it, Jance-o-philes. Catch her on her current tour and save your pennies for next summer's big event.
*** Okay, your friendly neighborhood bookseller admits that he is a junkie for biographies about our Founding Fathers, an interest sparked by David McCullough's utterly brilliant biography of John Adams. So it's with surprise and excitement that he sees Lynne Cheney will be writing a new biography of James Madison. I have no idea whether Mrs. Cheney can write or not, but while Madison is a crucial figure in the early history of the USA, even today his wife remains better known that her husband, (which makes me crave a Dolly Madison cake about now) his place in American history has not really been solidified in the public mind. I'm glad of this and wish her the best.
*** I include the next story for several reasons. One, I love A Christmas Carol, both the book and most of the various movie versions. Indeed, the Patrick Stewart production is on tonight and I may choose it for my viewing pleasure. Two, I don't really know much about Dickens so something biographical would be a pleasure. Three, and most importantly, the linked review of the new book by Les Standiford, The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits, gives me the chance to say that Standiford is one fine fellow, a better writer (his John Deal mysteries were terrific and deserved far more attention than they received) and to post the picture that I have of him with some unknown but dashing chap in a bookstore.
Standiford is not to be blamed for the crappy quality of the photo. He's the distinguished looking man on the right.
Les Standiford brings Marley and Scrooge back to life
*** It is with great reluctance that BBG includes this story concerning two books about the 1958 NFL championship game. The game was great, perhaps the greatest ever played, but the reluctance comes in that your resident blogger actually remembers the game. Or, at least, bits of it. I was a tyke at the time, running around and being obnoxious, and have only dream-images of the game being on at my uncle's house while my relatives crowded around the flickering screen of the TV. I have no idea why it made such an impression on me. None. I wasn't old enough to know what football was, yet there was something so profound about that game that I remember the event. Strange thing, memory, storing away stuff for no apparent purpose and forgetting things you really should remember.
Anyway, there are two new books about that game, either or which would probably be a great gift idea for dad or granddad.
Fabulous football fifty years gone
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The River, three cities and a Top 10
Good day bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Never let it be said that your friendly neighborhood bookseller isn't an equal opportunity basher. I think by now you know my opinion of the new Ebay, so let's look today at The River, Amazon. Specifically, Amazon.UK. It seems that even in this enlightened age workers wind up working for those who consider them chattel. Holy Dickens, Batman!
Amazon.UK dares their workers to try and have a normal life
Of course, in the years before BBG came on the scene to save the world from the scourge of merely ordinary booksellers, he was employed selling electronics on commission for a company that makes Amazon look downright progressive, so he does understand why a brutal work schedule is better than no work schedule at all.
*** In all the world what are the three best cities for people who love books? Ask 10 people and you would probably get 12 opinions, but MSNBC weighs in with theirs.
Berlin, Boston and Dublin for those who love books
I would very much love to visit Berlin and I've been to Dublin. Wow, I don't know if it's the best city for book lovers, Hay-on-Wye might take that honor, but it's certainly a wonderful place. What's more, The Book of Kells lives on at Trinity College and it's hard to imagine a more beautiful book. So yeah, I can live with this choice.
Boston? Not for me. My German is passable and the Irish are easily understood, but Bostonians? I might as well be in Tibet. (Just kidding! I could probably understand every other word in Boston)
*** WorldNetDaily wants to know what you think are the Top 10 all time more important non-fiction books, excluding the Bible. I find this type of survey fascinating, as it gives people a chance to list their choices and others a chance to be exposed to great books they may not have been aware of. Just a quick glance shows me I still have plenty of stuff left to discover.
Choose your Top 10
*** Never let it be said that your friendly neighborhood bookseller isn't an equal opportunity basher. I think by now you know my opinion of the new Ebay, so let's look today at The River, Amazon. Specifically, Amazon.UK. It seems that even in this enlightened age workers wind up working for those who consider them chattel. Holy Dickens, Batman!
Amazon.UK dares their workers to try and have a normal life
Of course, in the years before BBG came on the scene to save the world from the scourge of merely ordinary booksellers, he was employed selling electronics on commission for a company that makes Amazon look downright progressive, so he does understand why a brutal work schedule is better than no work schedule at all.
*** In all the world what are the three best cities for people who love books? Ask 10 people and you would probably get 12 opinions, but MSNBC weighs in with theirs.
Berlin, Boston and Dublin for those who love books
I would very much love to visit Berlin and I've been to Dublin. Wow, I don't know if it's the best city for book lovers, Hay-on-Wye might take that honor, but it's certainly a wonderful place. What's more, The Book of Kells lives on at Trinity College and it's hard to imagine a more beautiful book. So yeah, I can live with this choice.
Boston? Not for me. My German is passable and the Irish are easily understood, but Bostonians? I might as well be in Tibet. (Just kidding! I could probably understand every other word in Boston)
*** WorldNetDaily wants to know what you think are the Top 10 all time more important non-fiction books, excluding the Bible. I find this type of survey fascinating, as it gives people a chance to list their choices and others a chance to be exposed to great books they may not have been aware of. Just a quick glance shows me I still have plenty of stuff left to discover.
Choose your Top 10
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Michael Chabon's THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY
Michael Chabon's magnum opus is a bit better constructed than most Random House offering of the period. White cloth backstrap and paper boards, the wonderful cover is of a heavy stock that should wear well, but is a bit prone to nicks and wear spots. Still, it's much better than most offerings. The double-sided copyright page is almost luxurious in this day and age.
First edition is indicated like any other Random offering of the day, with a number line ending in '2' and the First Edition slug present. Page ends are
deckled. I have put this under SFF but in reality it's hard to categorize this one.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Carl Hiaasen's DOUBLE WHAMMY
Hiaasen's second solo novel is terrific, in my never humble opinion. Tourist Season was good, and certainly different, but Double Whammy really taps into the manic weirdness that became his hallmark. How many books have a 28 pound largemouth bass that is trained to surface on command? And Skink, former governor of Florida now living in the wilds, I mean, come on, that's classic stuff.
Skin Tight sold before I could get photos, so I'm putting these up now because I doubt these copies will last long. The book is typical Putnam of the period, cloth backstrap and paper boards, fairly high acid paper, number line down to '1'. There are no points of issue that I'm aware of and I don't know of a second printing, although that's not definitive.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Carl Hiaasen's TOURIST SEASON
I read this back in 1991, before the days when I kept a reading journal. But I remember how much I enjoyed the manic weirdness and how much I looked forward to more from Hiaasen. My boss at the time, Phil G., recommended it to me and boy was he right.
The construction of the book is pretty typical Putnam, of the mid 80's, paper boards over cloth backstrap, quarto, a fairly high acid paper that can tone quite easily. The jacket is pretty durable, though. First edition typified by First Edition slug with a number line down to '1.' I don't know of any subsequent pr
intings as these were remaindered in decent quantities.
Happy Birthday Mom!
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Tomorrow I'm having my last Bonanza of the year. Maybe you can find something there you like, but even if not, check out Bonanzle for yourself. The fastest growing sales site on the net.
*** Did you know that The Guinness Book of World Records only has one printing? It's true. Once it's sold out, it's sold out. And despite an 11% increase in copies this year, the publisher has completely sold through their stock.
*** The cathartic aftermath of losing Forrest J. Ackerman continues as those who knew him grieve and remember. I was not so privileged, but knowing he was around somehow made life a little better. Heaven is probably filled with lots of Forrest Ackerman's.
25 things we miss about Uncle Forry
*** Sal Yvars had passed away. Sal was a baseball player, a catcher, who supposedly signaled Bobby Thompson that a fastball was headed his way during a game in 1951, a pitch that Thompson smacked out of the park for one of the most famous home runs in history, 'The Shot Heard Round the World.' Whether Yvars did this or not still isn't known for certain, but the incident has been written about in a number of books and so merits a very tenuous mention in this blog. (I wasn't sure if the connection was close enough to books so I asked the editor, who okayed its inclusion. Of course, I'm the editor.)
*** In the 'the horse is dead, let's see if we can beat it back to life' category, a new trend for Ebay-ites fed up with John Donahoe's nonsense is for sellers to sue buyers who leave them negative feedback. This, of course, is necessitated because JD left them no option when he shut down what had always made Ebay work, its two-way feedback system. Who said the collapse of a major corporation wasn't entertaining?
This ought to get Ebay some good press
*** I guess we've all heard of the King James Bible. I didn't realize that only 50 copies of the first 1611 edition still existed. The linked article has a nice photo of one that was donated to Hardin-Simmons University. This is the sort of story that appeals to my imagination, because it is possible that William Shakespeare could have handled that very book. (Yes, yes, I know the odds and everything. Jeez, can't a guy dream?)
And if flights of fancy don't appeal to you, the story of the couple who donated the Bible, along with a whole collection of other Bibles and related material, is quite touching. Karma can be bad, but it can also be very, very good.
Rare 1611 King James Bible
*** Finally, yes, it's my mom's 91st birthday today. I wish I was half as spry. Happy Birthday Mom!
*** Tomorrow I'm having my last Bonanza of the year. Maybe you can find something there you like, but even if not, check out Bonanzle for yourself. The fastest growing sales site on the net.
*** Did you know that The Guinness Book of World Records only has one printing? It's true. Once it's sold out, it's sold out. And despite an 11% increase in copies this year, the publisher has completely sold through their stock.
*** The cathartic aftermath of losing Forrest J. Ackerman continues as those who knew him grieve and remember. I was not so privileged, but knowing he was around somehow made life a little better. Heaven is probably filled with lots of Forrest Ackerman's.
25 things we miss about Uncle Forry
*** Sal Yvars had passed away. Sal was a baseball player, a catcher, who supposedly signaled Bobby Thompson that a fastball was headed his way during a game in 1951, a pitch that Thompson smacked out of the park for one of the most famous home runs in history, 'The Shot Heard Round the World.' Whether Yvars did this or not still isn't known for certain, but the incident has been written about in a number of books and so merits a very tenuous mention in this blog. (I wasn't sure if the connection was close enough to books so I asked the editor, who okayed its inclusion. Of course, I'm the editor.)
*** In the 'the horse is dead, let's see if we can beat it back to life' category, a new trend for Ebay-ites fed up with John Donahoe's nonsense is for sellers to sue buyers who leave them negative feedback. This, of course, is necessitated because JD left them no option when he shut down what had always made Ebay work, its two-way feedback system. Who said the collapse of a major corporation wasn't entertaining?
This ought to get Ebay some good press
*** I guess we've all heard of the King James Bible. I didn't realize that only 50 copies of the first 1611 edition still existed. The linked article has a nice photo of one that was donated to Hardin-Simmons University. This is the sort of story that appeals to my imagination, because it is possible that William Shakespeare could have handled that very book. (Yes, yes, I know the odds and everything. Jeez, can't a guy dream?)
And if flights of fancy don't appeal to you, the story of the couple who donated the Bible, along with a whole collection of other Bibles and related material, is quite touching. Karma can be bad, but it can also be very, very good.
Rare 1611 King James Bible
*** Finally, yes, it's my mom's 91st birthday today. I wish I was half as spry. Happy Birthday Mom!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A Con, an artist and a con artist
Good day bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Finally, finally, Midsouthcon has updated their guest list for 2009. Among the regulars Glen Cook will be back. He's a pretty interesting guy and usually has a good selection of books for sale. CJ Cherryh will be making a return visit in 2009. This is a good con, not small but not huge, either. Fun times.
Midsouthcon
*** Rare books remain rare and desirable, even in the midst of slow economic times. We have seen this during every previous slowdown and it appears to be the case again. Indeed, if upward price pressure does slacken, the well-financed collector or speculator can get a really good deal, then cash in when things turn upward and realize a much higher profit than in many more traditional venues.
And that goes for cute bears with an addiction to honey, too, as we see indicated by this auction of some rare Winnie books with hand-drawn illustrations by A.A. Milne.
Winnie the Pooh and big bucks, too!
*** As I continue to chronicle Ebay's slow sinking into the west, the question might arise as to why your friendly neighborhood bookseller spends so much time on this topic. After all, this is supposed to be a book blog, right? Well, I joined Ebay in August, 1998, just a month after starting my business. In the ensuing decade I sold more than 3,000 books there and bought more than 1,000. It was a major part of both my selling and my collecting.
That all changed when some con artist convinced the doofi (plural of doofus) running Ebay that something called 'disruptive innovation' was an actual business strategy instead of what it really was, just screwing everything up to see what happened. No matter whether something had been successful or not, it was changed for the worse. The idea, if you can call it that, seems to be that if you drive every single person away from a site, you will then be able to start over and make it even better. I know that doesn't make sense, but objective observation can come to no other conclusion.
Of course, when the company finally completes its collapse, the con artist will be on a beach somewhere spending the mega-millions he convinced the doofi to pay him for destroying their company.
What a world.
*** The linked article does a terrific job of summing up just how badly Ebay is being run these days. During the last recession the company prospered, as by its very nature it should, but this time around the frantic moron at the top made sure that would not happen, as that would defeat his dream of a billion dollar company with no page views and no customers.
Viewed objectively, there is really no other conclusion. The transition from an auction model to a fixed price one did not have to be antagonistic toward sellers, who are also in many cases buyers. It did not have to destroy businesses and lives, or create such a tidal wave of negative feelings. That it has done so can only have been deliberate. And who in their right mind would deliberately drive their your best customers? Either a lunatic or a moron. Being that I'm a nice guy, I'm going with moron.
Ebay's continuing slide into irrelevance
*** Yet more analysts weigh in down-grading Ebay. If I posted all of these I run across this blog would run out of storage space.
Two more think Ebay is sinking
*** Finally, finally, Midsouthcon has updated their guest list for 2009. Among the regulars Glen Cook will be back. He's a pretty interesting guy and usually has a good selection of books for sale. CJ Cherryh will be making a return visit in 2009. This is a good con, not small but not huge, either. Fun times.
Midsouthcon
*** Rare books remain rare and desirable, even in the midst of slow economic times. We have seen this during every previous slowdown and it appears to be the case again. Indeed, if upward price pressure does slacken, the well-financed collector or speculator can get a really good deal, then cash in when things turn upward and realize a much higher profit than in many more traditional venues.
And that goes for cute bears with an addiction to honey, too, as we see indicated by this auction of some rare Winnie books with hand-drawn illustrations by A.A. Milne.
Winnie the Pooh and big bucks, too!
*** As I continue to chronicle Ebay's slow sinking into the west, the question might arise as to why your friendly neighborhood bookseller spends so much time on this topic. After all, this is supposed to be a book blog, right? Well, I joined Ebay in August, 1998, just a month after starting my business. In the ensuing decade I sold more than 3,000 books there and bought more than 1,000. It was a major part of both my selling and my collecting.
That all changed when some con artist convinced the doofi (plural of doofus) running Ebay that something called 'disruptive innovation' was an actual business strategy instead of what it really was, just screwing everything up to see what happened. No matter whether something had been successful or not, it was changed for the worse. The idea, if you can call it that, seems to be that if you drive every single person away from a site, you will then be able to start over and make it even better. I know that doesn't make sense, but objective observation can come to no other conclusion.
Of course, when the company finally completes its collapse, the con artist will be on a beach somewhere spending the mega-millions he convinced the doofi to pay him for destroying their company.
What a world.
*** The linked article does a terrific job of summing up just how badly Ebay is being run these days. During the last recession the company prospered, as by its very nature it should, but this time around the frantic moron at the top made sure that would not happen, as that would defeat his dream of a billion dollar company with no page views and no customers.
Viewed objectively, there is really no other conclusion. The transition from an auction model to a fixed price one did not have to be antagonistic toward sellers, who are also in many cases buyers. It did not have to destroy businesses and lives, or create such a tidal wave of negative feelings. That it has done so can only have been deliberate. And who in their right mind would deliberately drive their your best customers? Either a lunatic or a moron. Being that I'm a nice guy, I'm going with moron.
Ebay's continuing slide into irrelevance
*** Yet more analysts weigh in down-grading Ebay. If I posted all of these I run across this blog would run out of storage space.
Two more think Ebay is sinking
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Cleaning the pipes
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** Veteran bookies, especially those who know me from the AOL Mystery/Thriller and Hardboiled boards, know that I am generally favorable toward any author, regardless of whether or not I read them or agree with their ideas, with one exception: Patricia Cornwell. I have read the first 7 Scarpetta books. The first one was brilliant, the second one quite good, the third one pretty good, the 4th okay, the 5th-7th descending from fair to pathetic. After that I no longer cared. A number of bookstore managers have also told me that, in person, she just isn't a very nice person.
So it is with smug satisfaction that I note the newest Scarpetta book being heavily discounted at the big chain stores, up to 50%, to try and keep as many of them as possible off the remainder tables. Maybe, just maybe, her publisher will decide to give some new up-and-comer a chance next time, instead of cluttering the bookshelves with 5 million copies of whatever her next book is that few people want to buy. Quit paying her to write drek and give that money to a new writer with something to say!
*** For your Memphis and Mid-South bookies, check out Davis-Kidd this Saturday at 1 pm. They are hosting five Memphis authors for a mass book-signing. Perre Magness is probably the most eminent Memphis historian currently working. Should be fun.
Joe Cooper, Sr., Bryan Davis, Perre Magness,
John Pritchard, and Andre Bruce Ward
Saturday, December 13th at 1:00 pm
Davis-Kidd tries to support Memphis’ authors, as well as authors in the surrounding areas, any way we can. And, as we prepare to ‘deck our halls,’ we invite the community to join together at its favorite independent bookstore to celebrate the talent Memphis writers have displayed in print over the past few years. The five local authors listed below will be present to discuss and sign their respective titles:
Joseph M. Cooper, Sr., Jesus My Hero
Bryan Davis, Eternity’s Edge
Perre Magness, Memphis: A Children’s History
John Pritchard, The Yazoo Blues
Andre Bruce Ward, Andre: Thirty Years of Costume Design at Theatre Memphis
*** Now comes what might turn into a rant. If it does, I apologize in advance.
A very knowledgeable customer called today to ask a question that, 10 years ago, I almost never heard. I had a book listed as a 'First Edition,' and this gentleman wanted to know if it was also a First Printing. To me, growing up in the pre-internet world of book buying, if a book stated that it was a First Edition, it was a given that it was also a First Printing. No reputable bookseller would advertise a 'First Edition' that was a 5th or 8th printing, without that later printing having been noted. Nor will reputable booksellers do that now.
However, in the pre-internet era, a seller who did use what I can only describe as a deceptive practice might have gotten away with it for a while, but not forever. The book collecting community would have spread the word and such a person would have had difficulty staying afloat.
No longer. In the era of scanner people (or book-mongers, if you prefer) who know nothing about books and could not bother themselves to learn anything, you wind up with lots of listings on the major selling sites where a 'First Edition' might easily be a 40th printing. In some cases that isn't relevant, the buyer only wants a reading copy and the printing doesn't matter. But when I find myself being asked about expensive or scarce books being a first or later printing, it clues me in that these buyers have been stiffed one too many times in the past and have become gun-shy buying over the net. Nor can I blame them.
You see, we booksellers know the scanner people better than most. Some are fine, honest folk. Many are not. And it's these people who have clogged the selling sites with junk listings that make finding collectible copies so hard. (But not at Worldbookmarket.com)
So from here on out BBG finds it necessary to alter how he lists books, to now include the slug First Edition, first printing. It's silly, it's two extra words to say the same thing I have always said, but when customers are forced to call me to ask questions that should be a given, it's time to adapt.
Rant over. Unforgiveable advertising gimmick still to come.
Warning! Cheesy sales plug coming. Danger, Will Robinson, danger!
Bonanza coming, Bonanza coming! This Saturday, 1-4 CST. Where? My Bonanzle booth, of course. http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Billthebookguy
What's a bonanza? For that matter, what's a Bonanzle.com? Loyal bookies may remember that Bonanzle is the new (and fastest growing on the internet) selling site that is sort of part Craigslist, part Ebay, part common sense. I have a smallish but growing numbers of choice books there. A bonanza is a sale, in this case a massive 20% off what is listed there. I know, I know, you're worried about me now, 20% is too much, I'm being too generous, you would prefer to only save 10%.
Not to fret. 20% is actually a bite, granted, but your friendly neighborhood bookseller is only concerned about your happiness, and if saving you 20% during this 3 hour window makes you happy, then I'm happy.
End of shameless advertisement
*** Finally, my apologies for today's blog being mostly comment and little news. I'll do better tomorrow.
*** Veteran bookies, especially those who know me from the AOL Mystery/Thriller and Hardboiled boards, know that I am generally favorable toward any author, regardless of whether or not I read them or agree with their ideas, with one exception: Patricia Cornwell. I have read the first 7 Scarpetta books. The first one was brilliant, the second one quite good, the third one pretty good, the 4th okay, the 5th-7th descending from fair to pathetic. After that I no longer cared. A number of bookstore managers have also told me that, in person, she just isn't a very nice person.
So it is with smug satisfaction that I note the newest Scarpetta book being heavily discounted at the big chain stores, up to 50%, to try and keep as many of them as possible off the remainder tables. Maybe, just maybe, her publisher will decide to give some new up-and-comer a chance next time, instead of cluttering the bookshelves with 5 million copies of whatever her next book is that few people want to buy. Quit paying her to write drek and give that money to a new writer with something to say!
*** For your Memphis and Mid-South bookies, check out Davis-Kidd this Saturday at 1 pm. They are hosting five Memphis authors for a mass book-signing. Perre Magness is probably the most eminent Memphis historian currently working. Should be fun.
Joe Cooper, Sr., Bryan Davis, Perre Magness,
John Pritchard, and Andre Bruce Ward
Saturday, December 13th at 1:00 pm
Davis-Kidd tries to support Memphis’ authors, as well as authors in the surrounding areas, any way we can. And, as we prepare to ‘deck our halls,’ we invite the community to join together at its favorite independent bookstore to celebrate the talent Memphis writers have displayed in print over the past few years. The five local authors listed below will be present to discuss and sign their respective titles:
Joseph M. Cooper, Sr., Jesus My Hero
Bryan Davis, Eternity’s Edge
Perre Magness, Memphis: A Children’s History
John Pritchard, The Yazoo Blues
Andre Bruce Ward, Andre: Thirty Years of Costume Design at Theatre Memphis
*** Now comes what might turn into a rant. If it does, I apologize in advance.
A very knowledgeable customer called today to ask a question that, 10 years ago, I almost never heard. I had a book listed as a 'First Edition,' and this gentleman wanted to know if it was also a First Printing. To me, growing up in the pre-internet world of book buying, if a book stated that it was a First Edition, it was a given that it was also a First Printing. No reputable bookseller would advertise a 'First Edition' that was a 5th or 8th printing, without that later printing having been noted. Nor will reputable booksellers do that now.
However, in the pre-internet era, a seller who did use what I can only describe as a deceptive practice might have gotten away with it for a while, but not forever. The book collecting community would have spread the word and such a person would have had difficulty staying afloat.
No longer. In the era of scanner people (or book-mongers, if you prefer) who know nothing about books and could not bother themselves to learn anything, you wind up with lots of listings on the major selling sites where a 'First Edition' might easily be a 40th printing. In some cases that isn't relevant, the buyer only wants a reading copy and the printing doesn't matter. But when I find myself being asked about expensive or scarce books being a first or later printing, it clues me in that these buyers have been stiffed one too many times in the past and have become gun-shy buying over the net. Nor can I blame them.
You see, we booksellers know the scanner people better than most. Some are fine, honest folk. Many are not. And it's these people who have clogged the selling sites with junk listings that make finding collectible copies so hard. (But not at Worldbookmarket.com)
So from here on out BBG finds it necessary to alter how he lists books, to now include the slug First Edition, first printing. It's silly, it's two extra words to say the same thing I have always said, but when customers are forced to call me to ask questions that should be a given, it's time to adapt.
Rant over. Unforgiveable advertising gimmick still to come.
Warning! Cheesy sales plug coming. Danger, Will Robinson, danger!
Bonanza coming, Bonanza coming! This Saturday, 1-4 CST. Where? My Bonanzle booth, of course. http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Billthebookguy
What's a bonanza? For that matter, what's a Bonanzle.com? Loyal bookies may remember that Bonanzle is the new (and fastest growing on the internet) selling site that is sort of part Craigslist, part Ebay, part common sense. I have a smallish but growing numbers of choice books there. A bonanza is a sale, in this case a massive 20% off what is listed there. I know, I know, you're worried about me now, 20% is too much, I'm being too generous, you would prefer to only save 10%.
Not to fret. 20% is actually a bite, granted, but your friendly neighborhood bookseller is only concerned about your happiness, and if saving you 20% during this 3 hour window makes you happy, then I'm happy.
End of shameless advertisement
*** Finally, my apologies for today's blog being mostly comment and little news. I'll do better tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Snots, a ghost town and the passing of an icon
Good morning bookies! Read on for news and comment.
*** If you want to know why the New York Times (All the News That's Fit to Invent!) is going bankrupt, you need read no further than this editorial about Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin writing books. According to the snots running the Worst Newspaper in America, only they and those they deem worthy should be allowed to write a book. People such as Joe and Palin simply have nothing to say and should not be allowed to dilute the literary pool.
I really, really cannot stand literary snobs. Especially snobs working at a paper that has had more scandals in the last decade than you can count on one hand. So let's be clear: this is still America, you can write and read what you choose, whether The New York Snides think it's worthwhile or not. Indeed, their condemnation is a plus.
To be clear, I cannot imagine reading either book written by Joe or Sarah. Not that I agree or disagree with their politics, that's beside the point. It's just not what I read. But then, I cannot imagine anyone reading a lot of stuff that I dislike. So what? Just because I don't like it doesn't mean others won't find value. So if you are a writer and you get a book published, good for you! Whether the New York Snides approve or not.
New York Times opines from their ivory tower
*** Ebay's continuing effort to drive every person from their site is beginning to meet with success. Alternatives such as ecrater, ebid and, BBG's favorite, Bonanzle, are heating up, seeing visitors and sales skyrocket and are quietly becoming a force to be reckoned with. If John Donahoe's mission was to turn Ebay into a ghost town, he's on the right track.
Ebay running off every last customer
*** Memphians will mourn the passing of Fred Cook. No, he wasn't an author, but he was a local icon. For years he was a fixture on local radio. He and John Powell entertained the city for a long time beginning in the 60's with The Zero Hour, a Seinfeld-esque program about nothing in particular. He was also the announcer for the Memphis State Tigers in the days when they played at the Mid-South Coliseum.
*** If you want to know why the New York Times (All the News That's Fit to Invent!) is going bankrupt, you need read no further than this editorial about Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin writing books. According to the snots running the Worst Newspaper in America, only they and those they deem worthy should be allowed to write a book. People such as Joe and Palin simply have nothing to say and should not be allowed to dilute the literary pool.
I really, really cannot stand literary snobs. Especially snobs working at a paper that has had more scandals in the last decade than you can count on one hand. So let's be clear: this is still America, you can write and read what you choose, whether The New York Snides think it's worthwhile or not. Indeed, their condemnation is a plus.
To be clear, I cannot imagine reading either book written by Joe or Sarah. Not that I agree or disagree with their politics, that's beside the point. It's just not what I read. But then, I cannot imagine anyone reading a lot of stuff that I dislike. So what? Just because I don't like it doesn't mean others won't find value. So if you are a writer and you get a book published, good for you! Whether the New York Snides approve or not.
New York Times opines from their ivory tower
*** Ebay's continuing effort to drive every person from their site is beginning to meet with success. Alternatives such as ecrater, ebid and, BBG's favorite, Bonanzle, are heating up, seeing visitors and sales skyrocket and are quietly becoming a force to be reckoned with. If John Donahoe's mission was to turn Ebay into a ghost town, he's on the right track.
Ebay running off every last customer
*** Memphians will mourn the passing of Fred Cook. No, he wasn't an author, but he was a local icon. For years he was a fixture on local radio. He and John Powell entertained the city for a long time beginning in the 60's with The Zero Hour, a Seinfeld-esque program about nothing in particular. He was also the announcer for the Memphis State Tigers in the days when they played at the Mid-South Coliseum.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Pearl Harbor and MrsP
*** As history flows all around us, as we read daily of momentous events and happenings, what we do not see are the smaller stories that never make the news, or the plans that are discussed but never carried out. When something historically important happens, historians then research everything surrounding that event to see whether or not their were ancillary plans that could have influenced history one way or the other. And there are few events in the unfolding history of Mankind more seminal than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred 67 years ago today.
Seemingly every scrap of information about that attack, and the events leading up to it, have been debated and discussed and dissected ad infinitum. You would think that we know everything there is to know.
Maybe not. Author Alan Armstrong's new book, Preemptive Strike: The Secret Plan That Would Have Prevented the Attack on Pearl Harbor, postulates that the Japanese learned of a hare-brained scheme to bomb Japan from Chinese bases, using twin-engined Lockheed Hudson bombers.
Now, from our vantage point this is truly idiotic. The Hudson wound up serving a vital role in WW2 as a patrol bomber, that is, a small bomber with long range that could go out and hunt subs and generally serve as an early warning system around Australia and the U.S., or England. Not particularly fast, not well-armed and carrying a pretty small bomb load, what they were not suited for was any sort of strategic bombing role. And yet, according to Armstrong's new book, that is precisely what was proposed they do, attack Japanese industrial targets from Chinese bases.
Could this rather naive plan have done any harm to the Japanese whatsoever? Maybe if you'd had 10,000 Hudsons they would have noticed. But the concept that somehow a small number of these light bombers would force the Japanese to withdraw from China is incomprehensible. And, if the author is correct and the Japanese learned of the plan and this influenced them to attack Pearl Harbor first, and that's a big if, then the plan goes from merely inane to criminal.
Could important US officials have been this stupid?
*** It seems fitting that on the anniversary of the USA being dragged into World War II we have more than one book review on the topic, this time a little known mission by the OSS, forerunner of the CIA, the sort of thing that its leader 'Wild Bill' Donovan loved.
The Brenner Pass was and is the valley connecting Austria and Italy, a vital link through the Alps that is crucial for any commerce between the two countries. Bring down the pass blocking the link and it makes it very hard for either country to help the other. Thus was a mission born that sounds far-fetched in hindsight, but well worth the gamble during wartime.
The Brenner Assignment by noted historian Patrick K. O'Donnell looks like just the sort of thing your friendly neighborhood bookseller would want to read on a cold winter's night. Or a great Christmas gift for a WW2 buff.
A small, gallant mission
*** Keeping with today's unintended theme of history as blog-fodder, one biography I would dearly love to carve out time to read is Jon Meacham's American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Indeed, were that there was a prequel to this detailing his entire life, but it seems pretty clear now that Jackson was way ahead of his time politically and, since he is a Tennessean and so am I, I should know quite a bit more about him than I do. so that's going on the -to-do list for 2009 along with curing cancer and getting rich.
Jackson in the White House
*** Finally, since this is the season of giving, I'll do something I don't usually do and recommend another website. MrsP.com is devoted to promoting reading for children and I can't see one darned thing wrong with that. I non-commercial site, I can only assume that MrsP either is independently wealthy or maybe has a grant of some kind. However she can afford to publish her site, it's a good place for the young ones.
http://mrsp.com/
Seemingly every scrap of information about that attack, and the events leading up to it, have been debated and discussed and dissected ad infinitum. You would think that we know everything there is to know.
Maybe not. Author Alan Armstrong's new book, Preemptive Strike: The Secret Plan That Would Have Prevented the Attack on Pearl Harbor, postulates that the Japanese learned of a hare-brained scheme to bomb Japan from Chinese bases, using twin-engined Lockheed Hudson bombers.
Now, from our vantage point this is truly idiotic. The Hudson wound up serving a vital role in WW2 as a patrol bomber, that is, a small bomber with long range that could go out and hunt subs and generally serve as an early warning system around Australia and the U.S., or England. Not particularly fast, not well-armed and carrying a pretty small bomb load, what they were not suited for was any sort of strategic bombing role. And yet, according to Armstrong's new book, that is precisely what was proposed they do, attack Japanese industrial targets from Chinese bases.
Could this rather naive plan have done any harm to the Japanese whatsoever? Maybe if you'd had 10,000 Hudsons they would have noticed. But the concept that somehow a small number of these light bombers would force the Japanese to withdraw from China is incomprehensible. And, if the author is correct and the Japanese learned of the plan and this influenced them to attack Pearl Harbor first, and that's a big if, then the plan goes from merely inane to criminal.
Could important US officials have been this stupid?
*** It seems fitting that on the anniversary of the USA being dragged into World War II we have more than one book review on the topic, this time a little known mission by the OSS, forerunner of the CIA, the sort of thing that its leader 'Wild Bill' Donovan loved.
The Brenner Pass was and is the valley connecting Austria and Italy, a vital link through the Alps that is crucial for any commerce between the two countries. Bring down the pass blocking the link and it makes it very hard for either country to help the other. Thus was a mission born that sounds far-fetched in hindsight, but well worth the gamble during wartime.
The Brenner Assignment by noted historian Patrick K. O'Donnell looks like just the sort of thing your friendly neighborhood bookseller would want to read on a cold winter's night. Or a great Christmas gift for a WW2 buff.
A small, gallant mission
*** Keeping with today's unintended theme of history as blog-fodder, one biography I would dearly love to carve out time to read is Jon Meacham's American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Indeed, were that there was a prequel to this detailing his entire life, but it seems pretty clear now that Jackson was way ahead of his time politically and, since he is a Tennessean and so am I, I should know quite a bit more about him than I do. so that's going on the -to-do list for 2009 along with curing cancer and getting rich.
Jackson in the White House
*** Finally, since this is the season of giving, I'll do something I don't usually do and recommend another website. MrsP.com is devoted to promoting reading for children and I can't see one darned thing wrong with that. I non-commercial site, I can only assume that MrsP either is independently wealthy or maybe has a grant of some kind. However she can afford to publish her site, it's a good place for the young ones.
http://mrsp.com/
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Bye Forrie
Good morning bookies! It's Saturday! Stand by for news and comment.
*** As I sat here downing my first cup of coffee and listening to the radio, willing the neurons to begin firing, I heard on the news of the passing of Forrest J. Ackerman. For those who don't know, Ackerman was one of the earlier founders of modern SFF, is credited with having coined the term 'Sci-Fi', discovered and became literary agent for Ray Bradbury, agented Isaac Asimov and others, wrote a few stories, lots of essays and articles and, in general, was a jack-of-all-trades for an industry that mainstream publishers felt was nonsense and not worth their trouble.
I met Ackerman once, at DragonCon 1998, and remember him as a very kind, gentle-seeming man. One morning during the con, BBG and his posse were having breakfast at the hotel restaurant and at the next table, drinking coffee and chatting, were Bradbury, Ackerman and Harlan Ellison. It was amazing to consider the talent assembled at that one small table. It's a great example of what makes attending conventions so much fun. I'll miss knowing Ackerman is around, not so much that he directly made my life better, just because I felt better knowing men such as he were in the world.
So long to an old friend I didn't know
*** Ebay has no sense of irony. They are doing absolutely everything they can to crush the small sellers on their site, while simultaneously their lobbyists are in front of Congress whining about big box retailers trying to crush the small sellers. Have they no shame? Well, aside from that being a rhetorical question, the answer is no, they don't.
Ebay has become just another big corporation. Now, you're friendly neighborhood bookseller is not someone who automatically dislikes big corps. After all, who works at big corps? People do, although the theory that some corporate upper management types might be either part or completely machine-driven does seem to hold water in some cases. I knew this guy once when I worked in the corporate world who...wait, wrong topic. Sorry. Where was I? Oh, Ebay. Right.
Ebay began life as the ultimate egalitarian website. Level the playing field, let the little guy make a buck, fight back against the corporate bullies, all that good stuff. Except now Ebay has become what they were created to fight. Do John Donahoe and team see the irony? They must, surely. Nobody could be blind or stupid enough not to understand. So if we give them enough credit to understand the irony of the situation, then we also have to conclude that they don't care.
Ebay's whining again
*** Tomorrow is the 67th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This isn't about a book, but the topic is one that BBG happens to be pretty familiar with, having read almost everything he can find about the attack. So with the anniversary once more rolling around we are seeing the same tired old conspiracies dragged out that FDR knew the Japanese were going to attack and allowed it to happen so the USA would be forced into WW2. The following article makes the case fairly succinctly for the 'FDR knew' school of thought.
FDR knew the Japanese were coming, and other bedtime stories
What is never pointed out by such conspiracy theories is this: a Japanese surprise attack on WW2 was a declaration of war, period. There was no reason to allow the fleet to be destroyed, it would have served our purposes just as well for the Japanese to have found the naval base on alert and the air filled with US fighters. Only the silliest of the lot give FDR the prescience to know that battleships were obsolete and to allow them to be destroyed because they had such low value.
If this topic interest you or someone you know, you can pick up Gordon Prange's trilogy on Pearl Harbor fairly cheaply. At Dawn We Slept, December 7, 1941 and Pearl Harbor, the Verdict of History. Granted, it's aging a bit, and here and there a fact or detail may have been overruled by later research, but I haven't read anything that is comprehensively better, or better written.
*** As I sat here downing my first cup of coffee and listening to the radio, willing the neurons to begin firing, I heard on the news of the passing of Forrest J. Ackerman. For those who don't know, Ackerman was one of the earlier founders of modern SFF, is credited with having coined the term 'Sci-Fi', discovered and became literary agent for Ray Bradbury, agented Isaac Asimov and others, wrote a few stories, lots of essays and articles and, in general, was a jack-of-all-trades for an industry that mainstream publishers felt was nonsense and not worth their trouble.
I met Ackerman once, at DragonCon 1998, and remember him as a very kind, gentle-seeming man. One morning during the con, BBG and his posse were having breakfast at the hotel restaurant and at the next table, drinking coffee and chatting, were Bradbury, Ackerman and Harlan Ellison. It was amazing to consider the talent assembled at that one small table. It's a great example of what makes attending conventions so much fun. I'll miss knowing Ackerman is around, not so much that he directly made my life better, just because I felt better knowing men such as he were in the world.
So long to an old friend I didn't know
*** Ebay has no sense of irony. They are doing absolutely everything they can to crush the small sellers on their site, while simultaneously their lobbyists are in front of Congress whining about big box retailers trying to crush the small sellers. Have they no shame? Well, aside from that being a rhetorical question, the answer is no, they don't.
Ebay has become just another big corporation. Now, you're friendly neighborhood bookseller is not someone who automatically dislikes big corps. After all, who works at big corps? People do, although the theory that some corporate upper management types might be either part or completely machine-driven does seem to hold water in some cases. I knew this guy once when I worked in the corporate world who...wait, wrong topic. Sorry. Where was I? Oh, Ebay. Right.
Ebay began life as the ultimate egalitarian website. Level the playing field, let the little guy make a buck, fight back against the corporate bullies, all that good stuff. Except now Ebay has become what they were created to fight. Do John Donahoe and team see the irony? They must, surely. Nobody could be blind or stupid enough not to understand. So if we give them enough credit to understand the irony of the situation, then we also have to conclude that they don't care.
Ebay's whining again
*** Tomorrow is the 67th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This isn't about a book, but the topic is one that BBG happens to be pretty familiar with, having read almost everything he can find about the attack. So with the anniversary once more rolling around we are seeing the same tired old conspiracies dragged out that FDR knew the Japanese were going to attack and allowed it to happen so the USA would be forced into WW2. The following article makes the case fairly succinctly for the 'FDR knew' school of thought.
FDR knew the Japanese were coming, and other bedtime stories
What is never pointed out by such conspiracy theories is this: a Japanese surprise attack on WW2 was a declaration of war, period. There was no reason to allow the fleet to be destroyed, it would have served our purposes just as well for the Japanese to have found the naval base on alert and the air filled with US fighters. Only the silliest of the lot give FDR the prescience to know that battleships were obsolete and to allow them to be destroyed because they had such low value.
If this topic interest you or someone you know, you can pick up Gordon Prange's trilogy on Pearl Harbor fairly cheaply. At Dawn We Slept, December 7, 1941 and Pearl Harbor, the Verdict of History. Granted, it's aging a bit, and here and there a fact or detail may have been overruled by later research, but I haven't read anything that is comprehensively better, or better written.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Friday (what an inspired blog title, huh?)
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news and comment.
*** There appears to be an interesting change in online sales this season. It's too early to go into detail, I'll wait until January and look by to see if I'm correct. But, if I am, then there is a sea change at work here and it bodes ill for the Ebays of the world, who believe they can bully the marketplace into doing as they wish instead of giving the market what it wants. Anyway, the sampling is still too small to be conclusive.
*** Dorothy Sterling has died, aged 95. Her 1954 book Freedom Train was an early inspiration as the Civil Tights movement was gaining steam.
*** There is a major re-organization underway at Random House. Now, this isn't necessarily a normal topic for this blog, but the linked article is a pretty interesting behind-the-scenes look at the people who select and publish the books that are a normal concern here-abouts, so it seemed appropriate.
Watching Random morph
*** In another life I could easily have been quite happy as a bookbinder. No kidding. I've never done it, of course, I doubt many people have these days, but I suspect I would have been good at it. As a kid I built model airplanes and did quite well, I was a fine painter and could see myself working with signatures and goatskin and parchment.
Anyway, in a world that is overwhelmed with awards and best-of lists, one of the few that impress me are the awards given out by the Bookbinder's Guild of New York. These are the people are publishers who still give a damn.
A craft not yet lost
*** A follow-up article to the blog entry about the world's most expensive new book. The $126,000 table sized book (literally) of Michelangelo's work has gone on display in, where else?, New York. With my luck I would own a copy and one of my dogs would chew the corners.
This book or a house, which would you choose?
*** There appears to be an interesting change in online sales this season. It's too early to go into detail, I'll wait until January and look by to see if I'm correct. But, if I am, then there is a sea change at work here and it bodes ill for the Ebays of the world, who believe they can bully the marketplace into doing as they wish instead of giving the market what it wants. Anyway, the sampling is still too small to be conclusive.
*** Dorothy Sterling has died, aged 95. Her 1954 book Freedom Train was an early inspiration as the Civil Tights movement was gaining steam.
*** There is a major re-organization underway at Random House. Now, this isn't necessarily a normal topic for this blog, but the linked article is a pretty interesting behind-the-scenes look at the people who select and publish the books that are a normal concern here-abouts, so it seemed appropriate.
Watching Random morph
*** In another life I could easily have been quite happy as a bookbinder. No kidding. I've never done it, of course, I doubt many people have these days, but I suspect I would have been good at it. As a kid I built model airplanes and did quite well, I was a fine painter and could see myself working with signatures and goatskin and parchment.
Anyway, in a world that is overwhelmed with awards and best-of lists, one of the few that impress me are the awards given out by the Bookbinder's Guild of New York. These are the people are publishers who still give a damn.
A craft not yet lost
*** A follow-up article to the blog entry about the world's most expensive new book. The $126,000 table sized book (literally) of Michelangelo's work has gone on display in, where else?, New York. With my luck I would own a copy and one of my dogs would chew the corners.
This book or a house, which would you choose?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
No contest
Good morning bookies! It's Thursday, time for news and comment.
*** Good grief. Ebay can't even run a contest right these days. What a mess. You have to wonder if they are screwing up the site on purpose, because if they aren't, they should be. With page views down, time spent on the site down, the stock way down, even the dunces running the company realized something was wrong, so they had the good idea to do something about it. Fix what they had screwed up?
Well, no.
They decided that what Ebay needed was a contest! That's right, some good old-fashioned smoke and mirrors. But at least a contest might draw in traffic and drum up some good will, right? Wrong. At least, wrong when you leave it open to automated scripts and wind up angering the very people they were trying to make happy. Like every single change Ebay has made since disruptive destroyer Donahoe took over, this latest debacle has the feeling of haste and waste written all over it.
Ebay screws up their own contest
*** It has long been said that the book publishing industry is recession proof. I've never quite understood that logic, in the final analysis books are a commodity in many way, but that has been the common wisdom. At least until now. The big boys of publishing, Random House, Houghton Mifflin, Simon & Schuster, they are all down-sizing, laying off and in general consolidating.
Darwinism in the publishing world?
From this vantage point, however, this might not be all bad. In the end the industry will be forced to change, to take a long, hard look at itself, and that is generally a good thing. What may emerge is a better, more responsive publishing industry. What form this will take is hard to say with certainty, but it's entirely possible that small publishers will have a new chance to make inroads into the market, something they did not have before. After all, book distributors have to have books to distribute, and if the big houses aren't supplying them they will have to look elsewhere.
As all bookies who are addicted to this blog know, Ebay is a frequent topic here because your friendly neighborhood bookseller once sold lots and lots of books on Ebay, that is, until they went and screwed up the site and...and...wait, where was I? Oh, that's right. As everyone knows, Ebay's declaration of war on sanity has given new startup competitors a chance to make inroads into the marketplace, and in John Donahoe's wreckage-strewn wake such potentially lethal adversaries as Atomic Mall and Wigix and, my current favorite, Bonanzle.com, have sprung up to challenge the king of the hill. And there is no reason to think something similar cannot happen in any industry, including publishing.
*** Good grief. Ebay can't even run a contest right these days. What a mess. You have to wonder if they are screwing up the site on purpose, because if they aren't, they should be. With page views down, time spent on the site down, the stock way down, even the dunces running the company realized something was wrong, so they had the good idea to do something about it. Fix what they had screwed up?
Well, no.
They decided that what Ebay needed was a contest! That's right, some good old-fashioned smoke and mirrors. But at least a contest might draw in traffic and drum up some good will, right? Wrong. At least, wrong when you leave it open to automated scripts and wind up angering the very people they were trying to make happy. Like every single change Ebay has made since disruptive destroyer Donahoe took over, this latest debacle has the feeling of haste and waste written all over it.
Ebay screws up their own contest
*** It has long been said that the book publishing industry is recession proof. I've never quite understood that logic, in the final analysis books are a commodity in many way, but that has been the common wisdom. At least until now. The big boys of publishing, Random House, Houghton Mifflin, Simon & Schuster, they are all down-sizing, laying off and in general consolidating.
Darwinism in the publishing world?
From this vantage point, however, this might not be all bad. In the end the industry will be forced to change, to take a long, hard look at itself, and that is generally a good thing. What may emerge is a better, more responsive publishing industry. What form this will take is hard to say with certainty, but it's entirely possible that small publishers will have a new chance to make inroads into the market, something they did not have before. After all, book distributors have to have books to distribute, and if the big houses aren't supplying them they will have to look elsewhere.
As all bookies who are addicted to this blog know, Ebay is a frequent topic here because your friendly neighborhood bookseller once sold lots and lots of books on Ebay, that is, until they went and screwed up the site and...and...wait, where was I? Oh, that's right. As everyone knows, Ebay's declaration of war on sanity has given new startup competitors a chance to make inroads into the marketplace, and in John Donahoe's wreckage-strewn wake such potentially lethal adversaries as Atomic Mall and Wigix and, my current favorite, Bonanzle.com, have sprung up to challenge the king of the hill. And there is no reason to think something similar cannot happen in any industry, including publishing.
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