Good morning, bookies! Stand by for news.
*** Dateline: England. The publication of The Jewel of Medina has been postponed in Britain at the request of the author, who apparently wants to concentrate on its American launch instead. Let's hope this is simply a business decision and not one made because of threats from barbarians.
*** Dateline: Tennessee. The estate of the late, great SFF writer Andre Norton has been settled in a Tennessee Appeal's Court ruling. Unless a further appeal is made to the Tennessee Supreme Court, this should mean that Ms. Norton's works can get back on the market and some unpublished manuscripts may now see the light of day. The dispute was between her caregiver and one of her fans, both of whom were named in the will. It seems the will was not particularly well-written and caused confusion. Follow the money.
I never met Ms. Norton, although I probably could have if I'd gotten off my lazy butt, she lived in Murfreesboro, after all, and I will always regret that. They just don't make 'em like her anymore.
*** Dateline: Boston. In the category of 'sometimes-the-bad-guys-get-away-with-it', Misha Defonseca, who in 1997 wrote a chilling memoir of surviving the Holocaust entitled Misha, a Memoire of the Holocaust Years, who saw her tragic, terrifying work translated into 18 languages and made into a feature film in France, yesterday won a lawsuit brought by her publisher. See, the book was horrifying and told the story of surviving the Nazis by living with wolves. As awful as it was untrue. Defonseca made the whole thing up. But the publisher waited too long to file the suit, so says the judge. Too late, so sorry, so long. It seems Massachusetts has a one year statute of limitations on such things. Who says crime doesn't pay?
->->-> Here's one I'd like to read. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller is a big fan of Anthony Bourdain, all the way back to the days on AOL' s Hardboiled board when nobody knew who, or what, he was. (Yes, for all of my old AOL buddies, Tony was one of us in the days of Gone Bamboo) Anyway, I wouldn't miss 'No Reservations' these days for anything, even if he is starting to drag politics into it. And in the vein of irreverent restaurant humor comes a book titled Waiter Rant: Thanks For the Tip- Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by Steve Dublinica. This tells us all of the dirty little secrets your wait-staff doesn't want you to know...wait a minute. Maybe I don't want to read this, after all.
Mark your calendars: Michael Connelly will be in Oxford on October 30th at 6 pm, reading and signing The Brass Verdict at Square Books. Your friendly neighborhood bookseller considers Connelly to be among the top five crime writers working today, his series about LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch to be among the great series of all times. But Connelly has other characters and isn't afraid to mix two series when the mood strikes him. (Example: A Darkness More Than Night teamed former FBI agent Terry McCaleb with Bosch) Following the success of The Lincoln Lawyer and its sort-of-hero attorney Mickey Haller, Connelly now brings Bosch into the mix, since he just happens to be Haller's cousin. This is one BBG will try not to miss. I've met Connelly several times before and he is always worth the trip.
BBG
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ian Rankin's first Rebus novel- Hide & Seek
One part of my website (assuming such ever actually gets up and running) will be looks at rare books that pass through my hands. I've always loved such articles from others and will do this whenever possible. First up is Hide & Seek, the first Inspector Rebus novel, from my personal collection, which is now up for sale. (Yes, that's a plug. I am a bookseller, after all. But in case I sell it quickly I wanted to take and post some photos while I could) This is the UK edition published by Barrie & Jenkins.
The covers are a bright red cloth. Unlike US editions, which since the 80's have rarely sported whole cloth covers but instead have cloth backstraps with cardboard covers, UK hardback editions almost always are full cloth. Probably this reflects the higher relative cost of hardbacks in the UK. The paper used was quite cheap, it's doubtful anyone saw the Rankin phenomenon coming, and so it has tended to tone at the edges, just as with this copy. Visible on the front cover, this copy has a scuff to the front but overall grades Very Good+ in Very Good+ Jacket. And while some might find that conservative, I'd rather grade too low than too high.
I love the rear flap photo, Rankin looks like he's about 12.
Note that the paper is pretty white everywhere except the edges, quite typical of high acid papers.
Note also that the jacket is in mylar, so the reflections are mostly because of my poor camera skills and the shiny plastic. I scouted this book up last year around Memphis and highly doubt that I will ever come across another copy of the UK edition. So you might ask why sell it now? Because of the economy? Yes, but probably not for the reason you are thinking. Rare books have proven, over the centuries, to be one of the best possible investments. They routinely outperform the stock market. Therefore, for anyone looking for a safe haven for their funds, rare books have always been one excellent option. Or, put another way, it's a good time to sell. Especially since Rankin has announced the publication of the last Rebus novel. This series has already joined the great UK detective series as a classic. Anybody looked at the price of Agatha Christie first editions lately? In time, Rankin's stuff will skyrocket.
I'll be posting this first at http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Billthebookguy
Once my site is actually up and running I can knock off the commercial stuff here at my blog. In the meantime, sorry about that.
BBG
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
News, views and reviews
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news.
*** After five years, Richard Evans brings his three volume history of the third Reich to a close with The Third Reich at War 1939-1945. As loyal bookies know, your friendly neighborhood BBG is a World War II kind of guy, currently researching a book and also having been published in 'World War II' magazine. So he knows a little bit of which he speaks on the subject. He hasn't read...wait, what's with this third person crap? I haven't read Evans latest book and I include here a link to a review. But from a careful reading it seems that, like almost every historian of the Third Reich, Evans has an axe to grind. The reviewer chides towering figures like Joachim Fest for being romantic revisionists even while admitting that Evans is revising the accepted thinking. In other words, it's impossible to know who is and who isn't a revisionist because both sides are claiming and/or denying the label.
This review is quite well written, it's a great lesson in reviewing if nothing else. I look forward to reading the book and judging for myself.
Richard J. Evans
THE THIRD REICH AT WAR 1939–1945
878pp. Allen Lane. £30.
978 0 713 99742 2
US: Penguin Press. $40. 978 1 594 20206 3 http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article4905212.ece
*** Another new book review, I include the Spanish Civil War with WW2, as I do the war in China. The connection is all too obvious, even if Spain never actually entered the war. This one looks fascintating.
"Gerda Taro was a fearless, pioneering chronicler of the Spanish Civil War. Robin Stummer uncovers evidence to suggest that her unflinching pictures led to her murder..."
http://www.newstatesman.com/arts-and-culture/2008/10/gerda-taro-war-spain
*** Dateline: Stockholm. From Reuters " French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, described by President Nicolas Sarkozy as a "child of all continents" who embodied a globalized world, won the 2008 Nobel prize for literature on Thursday. The Academy, which decides the winner of the prestigious 10 million Swedish crown ($1.4 million) prize, praised the 68-year-old author for his adventurous novels, essays and children's literature." There is no surprise here as the anti-American slant from the Nobel committee is well known, as is its preference for globalist literature. And I have no problem with that, it's their prize and their money.
*** Points of Issue are interesting things. To bookies, a Point of Issue is that little difference that distinguishes a true first edition from a reprint. How does one knows such arcana? One researches, that's how. That's what your friendly neighborhood booskeller does for a living and learning points of issue is an endless process.
Just yesterday I learned something new. The first book in George R.R. Martin's extremely popular fantasy series 'Song of Fire and Ice' is A Game of Thrones. Now, once upon a time this was a pricey purchase. Then, for some odd reason, the price went way down as a flood of them came on the market. Very strange. So yesterday someone emailed me a question about a copy of this book that I have for sale and I did what friendly neighborhood booksellers do, I researched. And thus did I discover why the prices for first editions had plummeted: the book had been reprinted!
I know, I know, you're saying 'wait, BBG, reprints aren't first editions.' True. But many of those passing as booksellers today don't know the difference, don't do their research, and sell people overpriced books that are not what they claim to be. It seems that the 2002 reprint of this book kept the '1' in the number line. You would think that since it has an entirely different cover than the 1996 first edition it would be easy to spot the difference, even for Scanner People. And it would, if most of these people bothered enough to investigate. Sadly, they do not. And that's why their are scores of first editions available, the vast majority of which are no doubt reprints. Caveat emptor.
*** After five years, Richard Evans brings his three volume history of the third Reich to a close with The Third Reich at War 1939-1945. As loyal bookies know, your friendly neighborhood BBG is a World War II kind of guy, currently researching a book and also having been published in 'World War II' magazine. So he knows a little bit of which he speaks on the subject. He hasn't read...wait, what's with this third person crap? I haven't read Evans latest book and I include here a link to a review. But from a careful reading it seems that, like almost every historian of the Third Reich, Evans has an axe to grind. The reviewer chides towering figures like Joachim Fest for being romantic revisionists even while admitting that Evans is revising the accepted thinking. In other words, it's impossible to know who is and who isn't a revisionist because both sides are claiming and/or denying the label.
This review is quite well written, it's a great lesson in reviewing if nothing else. I look forward to reading the book and judging for myself.
Richard J. Evans
THE THIRD REICH AT WAR 1939–1945
878pp. Allen Lane. £30.
978 0 713 99742 2
US: Penguin Press. $40. 978 1 594 20206 3 http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article4905212.ece
*** Another new book review, I include the Spanish Civil War with WW2, as I do the war in China. The connection is all too obvious, even if Spain never actually entered the war. This one looks fascintating.
"Gerda Taro was a fearless, pioneering chronicler of the Spanish Civil War. Robin Stummer uncovers evidence to suggest that her unflinching pictures led to her murder..."
http://www.newstatesman.com/arts-and-culture/2008/10/gerda-taro-war-spain
*** Dateline: Stockholm. From Reuters " French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, described by President Nicolas Sarkozy as a "child of all continents" who embodied a globalized world, won the 2008 Nobel prize for literature on Thursday. The Academy, which decides the winner of the prestigious 10 million Swedish crown ($1.4 million) prize, praised the 68-year-old author for his adventurous novels, essays and children's literature." There is no surprise here as the anti-American slant from the Nobel committee is well known, as is its preference for globalist literature. And I have no problem with that, it's their prize and their money.
*** Points of Issue are interesting things. To bookies, a Point of Issue is that little difference that distinguishes a true first edition from a reprint. How does one knows such arcana? One researches, that's how. That's what your friendly neighborhood booskeller does for a living and learning points of issue is an endless process.
Just yesterday I learned something new. The first book in George R.R. Martin's extremely popular fantasy series 'Song of Fire and Ice' is A Game of Thrones. Now, once upon a time this was a pricey purchase. Then, for some odd reason, the price went way down as a flood of them came on the market. Very strange. So yesterday someone emailed me a question about a copy of this book that I have for sale and I did what friendly neighborhood booksellers do, I researched. And thus did I discover why the prices for first editions had plummeted: the book had been reprinted!
I know, I know, you're saying 'wait, BBG, reprints aren't first editions.' True. But many of those passing as booksellers today don't know the difference, don't do their research, and sell people overpriced books that are not what they claim to be. It seems that the 2002 reprint of this book kept the '1' in the number line. You would think that since it has an entirely different cover than the 1996 first edition it would be easy to spot the difference, even for Scanner People. And it would, if most of these people bothered enough to investigate. Sadly, they do not. And that's why their are scores of first editions available, the vast majority of which are no doubt reprints. Caveat emptor.
Review- A Point of Law by John Maddox Roberts
A POINT OF LAW by John Maddox Roberts. Machiavelli was Italian and
it is no coincidence the Italians are descended from the Romans. The Prince is a blueprint on deception and intrigue and the seizing and holding of power; based on his new Roman novel, John Maddox Roberts has read it more than once. Now, let's be clear here. I'm a Roman Republic/Empire buff, so I'm naturally inclined to like anything pertaining to the era. But while that may incline me to overlook some faults, it makes me much more aware of others. This review first appeared at www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com.
Decius Caecilius Metellus is a typical citizen of his era, the late Roman Republic. Warrior and officer from a distinguished family he has the scars (and the money) to prove his worth as a Roman citizen. After crushing the Pirates tormenting Cyprus, Decius has returned to Rome to stand for election as Praetor, a powerful position he is sure to win. With his wife Julia, niece of Caesar, Decius has a happy life ahead of him, as long as he isn’t murdered in the dangerous capitol. Suddenly, and not altogether surprisingly given the nature of Roman politics, Decius is accused of corruption by one Fulvius, minor scion of a wealthy old family. In and of itself this is no big problem, except that the trial is scheduled immediately and disqualifies Decius from becoming Praetor. Big problem. That is, until the next morning when Fulvius winds up dead in the Forum and Decius stands accused of murder. Bigger problem.
From there the reader is swept up in the politics of Rome’s Republic as it stands on the cusp of crumbling under the power grabs of Pompey and Caesar. Decius must use evidence to clear himself, something rarely seen in Roman courts. The cast of characters is well nigh dizzying, the political manueverings complex and archaic, the backdrop and geography unfamiliar.
And yet it all works splendidly. Indeed, few historians have ever brought the Roman era to life with such ease. The reader feels drawn into this world and, frankly, isn’t ready to leave as the book closes. And the publisher has been very wise by including not only a map of Old Rome, but a list of players and a glossary as well. The reader unfamiliar with ancient Rome may want to read these first, but either way A Point of Law stands out as a truly entertaining mystery.
Grading this one an A-, simply because I hope these will only get better, even if I can't see how that is possible.
it is no coincidence the Italians are descended from the Romans. The Prince is a blueprint on deception and intrigue and the seizing and holding of power; based on his new Roman novel, John Maddox Roberts has read it more than once. Now, let's be clear here. I'm a Roman Republic/Empire buff, so I'm naturally inclined to like anything pertaining to the era. But while that may incline me to overlook some faults, it makes me much more aware of others. This review first appeared at www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com.
Decius Caecilius Metellus is a typical citizen of his era, the late Roman Republic. Warrior and officer from a distinguished family he has the scars (and the money) to prove his worth as a Roman citizen. After crushing the Pirates tormenting Cyprus, Decius has returned to Rome to stand for election as Praetor, a powerful position he is sure to win. With his wife Julia, niece of Caesar, Decius has a happy life ahead of him, as long as he isn’t murdered in the dangerous capitol. Suddenly, and not altogether surprisingly given the nature of Roman politics, Decius is accused of corruption by one Fulvius, minor scion of a wealthy old family. In and of itself this is no big problem, except that the trial is scheduled immediately and disqualifies Decius from becoming Praetor. Big problem. That is, until the next morning when Fulvius winds up dead in the Forum and Decius stands accused of murder. Bigger problem.
From there the reader is swept up in the politics of Rome’s Republic as it stands on the cusp of crumbling under the power grabs of Pompey and Caesar. Decius must use evidence to clear himself, something rarely seen in Roman courts. The cast of characters is well nigh dizzying, the political manueverings complex and archaic, the backdrop and geography unfamiliar.
And yet it all works splendidly. Indeed, few historians have ever brought the Roman era to life with such ease. The reader feels drawn into this world and, frankly, isn’t ready to leave as the book closes. And the publisher has been very wise by including not only a map of Old Rome, but a list of players and a glossary as well. The reader unfamiliar with ancient Rome may want to read these first, but either way A Point of Law stands out as a truly entertaining mystery.
Grading this one an A-, simply because I hope these will only get better, even if I can't see how that is possible.
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news.
It's a bit drippy in Memphis today and book news is slow.
*** Whenever I mention stolen books to people who are not in the book business, either as sellers or librarians or even author, they are inevitably surprised that book thieves are a major problem. Apparently the belief is that books are somehow sacred to everyone and nobody would steal them. If that's what you believe then let me disavow you of the notion right now. Even in Memphis, our little corner of the world, there are book thieves. Yes, it's hard to believe. Yes, they are little better than vermin. But they do exist. And I know that sounds awfully harsh on my part, but books are my friends, almost as if they were sentient. (And if you're a fan of Jasper Fforde you can understand that maybe they are sentient) Stealing a book is much like kidnapping and should be treated as such. Where's the FBI when you need them?
When I ran my brick and mortar shop theft was a real problem. One particularly valuable book that was lifted I tracked down. I know who stole it, when, who they sold it to, how much they were paid, where the book was then resold, how much it was resold for (about 25% of its value) and who now owns it. What's more, the scumbag who lifted it knows that I know. Or, if he didn't before, he does when he reads this. That's right, I know who did it. Even at this moment I am looking for a book that should be here but isn't. Was it lifted before the shop closed? Could be. If I don't find it I may never know.
So when I run across a story like the one in this article, it makes me quite happy to pass this on. One day, no doubt, I will read about one of Memphis' notorious book thieves being booked for nabbing books, but in the meantime I will take vicarious pleasure is seeing another city's lowlifes taking the fall.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/09/13/rarebooks.ART_ART_09-13-08_B1_BFBAG40.html?sid=101
*** Dateline, Nairobi, Kenya. Jerome Corsi, author of Obama Nation, who was detained at the airport before a news conference where his book was to be introduced, was expelled from that country by armed soldiers with parting cries of 'See you in hell.' As we have learned repeatedly, the written word is not always found to be sacrosanct in much of the world, or even most of it.
*** It is doubtful that anyone other than Neil Gaiman could have dreamed up Graveyard, much less written it. Gaiman fans know that his mind just works on a different level than other people, and that this is probably a good thing. His newest is about a boy raised in a graveyard by dead people, sort of a Jungle Book with tombstones. The interview below is lots of....fun?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/10/07/books.neil.gaiman.ap/index.html
*** Today's obituaries include Charles Wright, the novelist who made black street life in New York come alive in the 60's and 70's with three heralded novels, The Messenger, The Wig and Absolutely Nothing to Get Alarmed About, died on October 1 in Manhattan. He was 76.
It's a bit drippy in Memphis today and book news is slow.
*** Whenever I mention stolen books to people who are not in the book business, either as sellers or librarians or even author, they are inevitably surprised that book thieves are a major problem. Apparently the belief is that books are somehow sacred to everyone and nobody would steal them. If that's what you believe then let me disavow you of the notion right now. Even in Memphis, our little corner of the world, there are book thieves. Yes, it's hard to believe. Yes, they are little better than vermin. But they do exist. And I know that sounds awfully harsh on my part, but books are my friends, almost as if they were sentient. (And if you're a fan of Jasper Fforde you can understand that maybe they are sentient) Stealing a book is much like kidnapping and should be treated as such. Where's the FBI when you need them?
When I ran my brick and mortar shop theft was a real problem. One particularly valuable book that was lifted I tracked down. I know who stole it, when, who they sold it to, how much they were paid, where the book was then resold, how much it was resold for (about 25% of its value) and who now owns it. What's more, the scumbag who lifted it knows that I know. Or, if he didn't before, he does when he reads this. That's right, I know who did it. Even at this moment I am looking for a book that should be here but isn't. Was it lifted before the shop closed? Could be. If I don't find it I may never know.
So when I run across a story like the one in this article, it makes me quite happy to pass this on. One day, no doubt, I will read about one of Memphis' notorious book thieves being booked for nabbing books, but in the meantime I will take vicarious pleasure is seeing another city's lowlifes taking the fall.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/09/13/rarebooks.ART_ART_09-13-08_B1_BFBAG40.html?sid=101
*** Dateline, Nairobi, Kenya. Jerome Corsi, author of Obama Nation, who was detained at the airport before a news conference where his book was to be introduced, was expelled from that country by armed soldiers with parting cries of 'See you in hell.' As we have learned repeatedly, the written word is not always found to be sacrosanct in much of the world, or even most of it.
*** It is doubtful that anyone other than Neil Gaiman could have dreamed up Graveyard, much less written it. Gaiman fans know that his mind just works on a different level than other people, and that this is probably a good thing. His newest is about a boy raised in a graveyard by dead people, sort of a Jungle Book with tombstones. The interview below is lots of....fun?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/10/07/books.neil.gaiman.ap/index.html
*** Today's obituaries include Charles Wright, the novelist who made black street life in New York come alive in the 60's and 70's with three heralded novels, The Messenger, The Wig and Absolutely Nothing to Get Alarmed About, died on October 1 in Manhattan. He was 76.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Overwhelmingly overwhelmed
Good morning, bookies. Stand by for news!
First, sorry about no blog yesterday. One of those days spent doing paperwork for the government.
It's an Ebay kind of day, as the chickens these people have been buying are streaming home to roost. I want to apologize to those of you who are bored with this topic. I think after today we'll just let things ride for a while, unless something major happens. Anyway, this week brings layoffs, stock lows, all kinds of good news. Let's start with an analysis from some guy I've heard of, but who probably hasn't heard of me, either.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/27049104/site/14081545?__source=aol
Falling into the category of 'they really want these people gone', we give you this infuriating look at corporate culture:
http://www.webguild.org/2008/09/ebay-layoffs-executives-to-get-4-years-pay.php
I had more links at this point, but it seemed like overkill.
And then there's this: Ebay is fighting Congressional restrictions on online selling. This blog is intended not to be political, however, it is the position of this blogger, me, that the more Congress sticks its nose into online sales, or anything, for that matter, the more it screws it up. So one tends to side with Ebay when they oppose something which is bad for everyone except those with the deepest pockets.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1223266542244890.xml&coll=1
And yet more. I'm starting to think this is just piling on. I'm even starting to feel somewhat sympathetic for Ebay. This first one is a firm cutting it's price target for their stock.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINBNG20761820081007?rpc=44
Next up is an in-depth question of whether or not Ebay's acquisition of Bill Me Later is a good or a bad thing. Given the out-and-out vitriol generated by PayPal's sometimes heavy-handed implementation, it may well be a terrible thing. Only time will tell.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/98748-granting-credit-is-ebay-s-bill-me-later-part-of-the-solution-or-part-of-the-problem?source=yahoo
Then there's the real question of whether Ebay's recent moves are a moot point given the dissent and dislike they have generated this year among their once fanatically loyal seller base.
http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/89604/eBays-Acquisitions%2C-Layoffs%3A-Too-Little%2C-Too-Late%3F
*** Ted Briggs has died. Although not book related, I'm sorry to hear this. Ted Briggs was an 18 year old Signalman in 1941, serving aboard HMS Hood when she went into battle against the Bismark, pride of the Kriegsmarine. A shell from Bismark, reportedly a 5.9" secondary gun, penetrated to the Hood's secondary magazine and the Royal Navy's largest battlecruiser exploded, leaving only three survivors from a crew of more than 1500. One was Briggs.
*** Jerome Corsi, author of Obama Nation, has been detained in Kenya. Apparently Kenyans prefer the idea of an ancestral Kenyan becoming president to freedom of the press, reminding us once again that it is not one world.
First, sorry about no blog yesterday. One of those days spent doing paperwork for the government.
It's an Ebay kind of day, as the chickens these people have been buying are streaming home to roost. I want to apologize to those of you who are bored with this topic. I think after today we'll just let things ride for a while, unless something major happens. Anyway, this week brings layoffs, stock lows, all kinds of good news. Let's start with an analysis from some guy I've heard of, but who probably hasn't heard of me, either.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/27049104/site/14081545?__source=aol
Falling into the category of 'they really want these people gone', we give you this infuriating look at corporate culture:
http://www.webguild.org/2008/09/ebay-layoffs-executives-to-get-4-years-pay.php
I had more links at this point, but it seemed like overkill.
And then there's this: Ebay is fighting Congressional restrictions on online selling. This blog is intended not to be political, however, it is the position of this blogger, me, that the more Congress sticks its nose into online sales, or anything, for that matter, the more it screws it up. So one tends to side with Ebay when they oppose something which is bad for everyone except those with the deepest pockets.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1223266542244890.xml&coll=1
And yet more. I'm starting to think this is just piling on. I'm even starting to feel somewhat sympathetic for Ebay. This first one is a firm cutting it's price target for their stock.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINBNG20761820081007?rpc=44
Next up is an in-depth question of whether or not Ebay's acquisition of Bill Me Later is a good or a bad thing. Given the out-and-out vitriol generated by PayPal's sometimes heavy-handed implementation, it may well be a terrible thing. Only time will tell.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/98748-granting-credit-is-ebay-s-bill-me-later-part-of-the-solution-or-part-of-the-problem?source=yahoo
Then there's the real question of whether Ebay's recent moves are a moot point given the dissent and dislike they have generated this year among their once fanatically loyal seller base.
http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/89604/eBays-Acquisitions%2C-Layoffs%3A-Too-Little%2C-Too-Late%3F
*** Ted Briggs has died. Although not book related, I'm sorry to hear this. Ted Briggs was an 18 year old Signalman in 1941, serving aboard HMS Hood when she went into battle against the Bismark, pride of the Kriegsmarine. A shell from Bismark, reportedly a 5.9" secondary gun, penetrated to the Hood's secondary magazine and the Royal Navy's largest battlecruiser exploded, leaving only three survivors from a crew of more than 1500. One was Briggs.
*** Jerome Corsi, author of Obama Nation, has been detained in Kenya. Apparently Kenyans prefer the idea of an ancestral Kenyan becoming president to freedom of the press, reminding us once again that it is not one world.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Drac is back and other news
Good morning bookies! Stand by for news.
*** The great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, Dacre Stoker, and Dracula historian Ian Holt are teaming up to bring the original bloodsucker back from the grave, with Dutton next year publishing Dracula: the Un-Dead. The original Dracula was heavily edited. Using notes and passages left behind by Bram, the two will write this novel and at least two more, following characters and plot lines left behind by the original. And yes, the inevitable movie is already in the works. It is doubtful that Bela Lugosi will play the thirsty count this time around.
*** Dateline, New York. Sony is introducing a new version of its e-reader, the PRS700, aka The Mark of the Beast, priced at $399, no doubt to compete with Amazon's equally pernicious Kindle. There are going to be new search features, a touch screen and some other stuff. Horrible idea. and the books for these monstrous machines are $11.99, with nothing to show for it when you've read the data. Books are my friends, I like having them surround me, but electronic books would probably just cause lots of static electricity and clinging socks and stuff.
*** On October 13th, Hutchison School will host the Perre Magness Lecture Series on Memphis History, at 6:30 PM. Ms. Magness is very well known in the area as the foremost Memphis historian alive, with nine books to her credit. Once upon a time she wrote for the daily newspaper, back when the newspaper was worth reading. Her lecture will be 'What Makes Memphis Memphis?' I've met her several times, she's very engaging and her works are not only informative, they're entertaining as well. For more info you can call Amanda Fisher at Hutchison, (901) 507-2461.
*** Once the website is up and running, reviews such as this will have their own special archive. Until then, however...here's a review for those of you who are World War II buffs, or know someone who is. This appears to be a more or less oral history of the U.S. 99th Division in WWII. foreign units, especially German, have almost all had unit histories written about them, as have a large number of American units. The 99th was one of the divisions in the thick of the bulge fighting and is, therefore, important in the overall context of the war. the reviewer seems to be trying awfully hard to link this unit to today's war, but doesn't quite make it. This isn't the most knowledgeable review in the world, but it gets the message across: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=861187
Another Wold War II review. Look, I'm a WWII buff, okay? Anyway, the gist of this book appears to be that FDR, Churchill, Alanbrooke and Marshall were egomaniacs and were crucial to winning the war. No. Really? It's probably a fabulous book, but somebody should have dreamed up a better title.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article4833789.ece
*** The great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, Dacre Stoker, and Dracula historian Ian Holt are teaming up to bring the original bloodsucker back from the grave, with Dutton next year publishing Dracula: the Un-Dead. The original Dracula was heavily edited. Using notes and passages left behind by Bram, the two will write this novel and at least two more, following characters and plot lines left behind by the original. And yes, the inevitable movie is already in the works. It is doubtful that Bela Lugosi will play the thirsty count this time around.
*** Dateline, New York. Sony is introducing a new version of its e-reader, the PRS700, aka The Mark of the Beast, priced at $399, no doubt to compete with Amazon's equally pernicious Kindle. There are going to be new search features, a touch screen and some other stuff. Horrible idea. and the books for these monstrous machines are $11.99, with nothing to show for it when you've read the data. Books are my friends, I like having them surround me, but electronic books would probably just cause lots of static electricity and clinging socks and stuff.
*** On October 13th, Hutchison School will host the Perre Magness Lecture Series on Memphis History, at 6:30 PM. Ms. Magness is very well known in the area as the foremost Memphis historian alive, with nine books to her credit. Once upon a time she wrote for the daily newspaper, back when the newspaper was worth reading. Her lecture will be 'What Makes Memphis Memphis?' I've met her several times, she's very engaging and her works are not only informative, they're entertaining as well. For more info you can call Amanda Fisher at Hutchison, (901) 507-2461.
*** Once the website is up and running, reviews such as this will have their own special archive. Until then, however...here's a review for those of you who are World War II buffs, or know someone who is. This appears to be a more or less oral history of the U.S. 99th Division in WWII. foreign units, especially German, have almost all had unit histories written about them, as have a large number of American units. The 99th was one of the divisions in the thick of the bulge fighting and is, therefore, important in the overall context of the war. the reviewer seems to be trying awfully hard to link this unit to today's war, but doesn't quite make it. This isn't the most knowledgeable review in the world, but it gets the message across: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=861187
Another Wold War II review. Look, I'm a WWII buff, okay? Anyway, the gist of this book appears to be that FDR, Churchill, Alanbrooke and Marshall were egomaniacs and were crucial to winning the war. No. Really? It's probably a fabulous book, but somebody should have dreamed up a better title.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article4833789.ece
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Books, books and blues
Good day, bookies! Stand by for news.
*** Ebay has not done anything robustly stupid for the last 24 hours, so let's report on this latest bit of nonsense from that dying company. I have 25 saved searches with them. That is, when someone posts something that qualifies I get an email. Great system, I have bought a lot of stuff that way over the years. Only now the dunces killing the company have eliminated prices from saved searches. You have to click on the item to see the price. And since all that's left there are the same items over and over again, there's nothing fun left to discover and a lot more trouble to discover it. So I canceled all 25 searches. Does anyone really wonder why Ebay is dying?
*** Borders financial woes continue. And while I'm no fan of chain bookstores, I have to admit that Borders is the best of the lot. Not only do they have an interesting selection, they are very pro-active in offering stuff for you to entice you into their stores. The Borders Rewards program is free and offers much more than the lousy Barnes & Noble plan does, and B&N charge you $25 for the privilege of buying from them. So I'm sad at having to post this link, and hope that Borders will find a way forward. If we have to have chain bookstores, Borders is the least objectionable of the lot.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081001/ap_on_bi_ge/borders_pershing_square
*** Beaufort Books, the US publisher of The Jewel Of Medina, has moved the books' publication date up from October 15 to next Monday, the 6th. Nothing like a firebombing to get a book some attention. And in London, three men were arrested for said arson attack.
*** Wanna guess the 10 highest paid authors of the year? I post this link to the list without comment as to the worthiness of those involved...wait! This is a blog. I'm supposed to comment as to the worthiness of such people. Cool.
Okay, James Patterson. You must be kidding me. I know he's immensely popular, I know that a lot of my friends read every one of his books, but I have a real problem with authors who their publishers describe as a 'brand.' Stuart Woods has achieved this same status. Gack. JK Rowling, fine, no problem there. Dean Koontz? Okay by me. And Danielle Steel...look, I grew up reading comic books, you wanna read her, it's fine by me. And the best news? At least Patricia cCornwell isn't on the list.
http://www.forbes.com/media/2008/10/01/books-publishing-media-biz-media-cx_lr_1001authors.html
*** Dorothy Kilgallen was always on TV when I was growing up, usually as a panelist on some game show that I can't remember. And I always wondered who she was and why she was famous. A new book proposal promises to tell us why. Did you know that she landed the only interview with Jack Ruby? I didn't. And that her death might be linked to her investigations of JFK's assassination? I didn't know that, either.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993286.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Yesterday, Thursday, I was doing that job most booksellers dread: I was writing book descriptions for new inventory being loaded into my database. It's tedious, not really much chance to be creative, but just as soon as you don't pay attention you will miss a glaring defect that you will only notice the day you are preparing to mail that book to a customer. Anyway, I was logging in a pretty nice copy of Robert Gordon's seminal Memphis music book, It Came From Memphis, when I did something else I often do: I read the first paragraph.
Weirdness enveloped me like fog in a Stephen King novel. The author begins the book talking about the blazing hot 4th of July, 1975, when the Rolling Stones played the Liberty Bowl, fronted by J. Geils Band and that quintessential American bluesman, Furry Lewis. That day is emblazoned in my mind like the symbol of a ranch on a horses' hock. The whole paragraph could have been written by me, including seeing Lewis play under much more favorable conditions. (Namely, in a smoky bar late at night)
I don't really remember whether the Stones were any good that day or not. By the time they finally took the stage I was in the middle stages of heat stroke and dehydration and might not even have been conscious. But I remember quite vividly when Furry Lewis came out, sat on his stool and showed everybody what authentic Delta Blues sounded like. If you love Memphis music and you haven't read It Came From Memphis, you really should track down a copy.
This is your friendly neighborhood bookseller signing off.
*** Ebay has not done anything robustly stupid for the last 24 hours, so let's report on this latest bit of nonsense from that dying company. I have 25 saved searches with them. That is, when someone posts something that qualifies I get an email. Great system, I have bought a lot of stuff that way over the years. Only now the dunces killing the company have eliminated prices from saved searches. You have to click on the item to see the price. And since all that's left there are the same items over and over again, there's nothing fun left to discover and a lot more trouble to discover it. So I canceled all 25 searches. Does anyone really wonder why Ebay is dying?
*** Borders financial woes continue. And while I'm no fan of chain bookstores, I have to admit that Borders is the best of the lot. Not only do they have an interesting selection, they are very pro-active in offering stuff for you to entice you into their stores. The Borders Rewards program is free and offers much more than the lousy Barnes & Noble plan does, and B&N charge you $25 for the privilege of buying from them. So I'm sad at having to post this link, and hope that Borders will find a way forward. If we have to have chain bookstores, Borders is the least objectionable of the lot.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081001/ap_on_bi_ge/borders_pershing_square
*** Beaufort Books, the US publisher of The Jewel Of Medina, has moved the books' publication date up from October 15 to next Monday, the 6th. Nothing like a firebombing to get a book some attention. And in London, three men were arrested for said arson attack.
*** Wanna guess the 10 highest paid authors of the year? I post this link to the list without comment as to the worthiness of those involved...wait! This is a blog. I'm supposed to comment as to the worthiness of such people. Cool.
Okay, James Patterson. You must be kidding me. I know he's immensely popular, I know that a lot of my friends read every one of his books, but I have a real problem with authors who their publishers describe as a 'brand.' Stuart Woods has achieved this same status. Gack. JK Rowling, fine, no problem there. Dean Koontz? Okay by me. And Danielle Steel...look, I grew up reading comic books, you wanna read her, it's fine by me. And the best news? At least Patricia cCornwell isn't on the list.
http://www.forbes.com/media/2008/10/01/books-publishing-media-biz-media-cx_lr_1001authors.html
*** Dorothy Kilgallen was always on TV when I was growing up, usually as a panelist on some game show that I can't remember. And I always wondered who she was and why she was famous. A new book proposal promises to tell us why. Did you know that she landed the only interview with Jack Ruby? I didn't. And that her death might be linked to her investigations of JFK's assassination? I didn't know that, either.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993286.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Yesterday, Thursday, I was doing that job most booksellers dread: I was writing book descriptions for new inventory being loaded into my database. It's tedious, not really much chance to be creative, but just as soon as you don't pay attention you will miss a glaring defect that you will only notice the day you are preparing to mail that book to a customer. Anyway, I was logging in a pretty nice copy of Robert Gordon's seminal Memphis music book, It Came From Memphis, when I did something else I often do: I read the first paragraph.
Weirdness enveloped me like fog in a Stephen King novel. The author begins the book talking about the blazing hot 4th of July, 1975, when the Rolling Stones played the Liberty Bowl, fronted by J. Geils Band and that quintessential American bluesman, Furry Lewis. That day is emblazoned in my mind like the symbol of a ranch on a horses' hock. The whole paragraph could have been written by me, including seeing Lewis play under much more favorable conditions. (Namely, in a smoky bar late at night)
I don't really remember whether the Stones were any good that day or not. By the time they finally took the stage I was in the middle stages of heat stroke and dehydration and might not even have been conscious. But I remember quite vividly when Furry Lewis came out, sat on his stool and showed everybody what authentic Delta Blues sounded like. If you love Memphis music and you haven't read It Came From Memphis, you really should track down a copy.
This is your friendly neighborhood bookseller signing off.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Never enough Tolkien?
Good morning, bookies. Stand by for news!
*There's never enough Tolkien. When I saw The Children of Hurin was going to be published as a novel, I found it very strange. A new entry in the Canon of Middle Earth in novel form, 35 years after Professor Tolkien died? But I loved the book. In places it was sketchy, true, but in places it was completely fleshed out, and it was all JRRT. Indeed, in some ways it was far more ambitious than was The Lord of the Rings. It gives depth to the whole history. Glorious.
Now, there is a live chat for you fanatics out there, on October 14th. No, it's not with Professor Tolkien. Sorry. It's with Alan Lee, the Tolkien family's chosen artist for illustrating Middle Earth. Here's the link. Enjoy.
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/847-Children_of_Hurin_Paperback_Release_Event.php
And lest we forget, this is the 70th anniversary f the first publication of The Hobbit. As you may know, there is a film in the works (which the Tolkien estate fought to prevent. But they also fought to prevent the first three films, and as much as I respect Christopher Tolkien's editing of his father's works, I loved the movies) for sometime in the near future, along with two original films that will fill in the time gap between The Hobbit and LOTR. (These movies I am much less on board with. Original Middle Earth material from a non-Tolkien source? Color me dubious.)
*Another group weighs in on the debacle that has become Ebay. As I write this Ebay's stock is flirting with a 52 week low of $19.94. The linked article does a good job of explaining some of the mess and why Ebay's customers are leaving the site in droves.
http://ebaygossip.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/professional-seller-alliance-pesa-tells-it-as-it-is/
And if that's not enough for you, Morgan Stanley downgraded Ebay's stock today. Here's a quote from an article on the reasoning why: “Seller checks and proprietary data indicate that trends deteriorated more than expected in Q3 amid eBay’s ongoing transition in its core marketplace, greater economic sensitivity and poor demand,” he writes in a research note today. Joseph writes that he now expects greater deceleration in global gross merchandise volume in Q3 than previously expected, with a possible year-over-year decline in the U.S. And he also cautions that eBay faces a “challenging holiday season.” Jospeh also notes that the company’s current issues are likely to linger: he cut estimates not only for Q3 and Q4, but also for 2009. “We have less conviction in eBay’s strategy to transform its core marketplace from an auction-based ‘thrift’ to a transaction-oriented platform that better addresses fixed-price in-season retail,” he writes."
Put another way, the whole thing is a mess and nobody has a clue where it will wind up, including those running the company.
* Controversy continues to follow Gwen Ifill and her role as moderator in the VP debate. I'll say this: she stands to gain substantially from an Obama victory in terms of book sales, therefore she has a vested interest and should not moderate. Can't anyone spell 'conflict of interest?'
*There's never enough Tolkien. When I saw The Children of Hurin was going to be published as a novel, I found it very strange. A new entry in the Canon of Middle Earth in novel form, 35 years after Professor Tolkien died? But I loved the book. In places it was sketchy, true, but in places it was completely fleshed out, and it was all JRRT. Indeed, in some ways it was far more ambitious than was The Lord of the Rings. It gives depth to the whole history. Glorious.
Now, there is a live chat for you fanatics out there, on October 14th. No, it's not with Professor Tolkien. Sorry. It's with Alan Lee, the Tolkien family's chosen artist for illustrating Middle Earth. Here's the link. Enjoy.
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/847-Children_of_Hurin_Paperback_Release_Event.php
And lest we forget, this is the 70th anniversary f the first publication of The Hobbit. As you may know, there is a film in the works (which the Tolkien estate fought to prevent. But they also fought to prevent the first three films, and as much as I respect Christopher Tolkien's editing of his father's works, I loved the movies) for sometime in the near future, along with two original films that will fill in the time gap between The Hobbit and LOTR. (These movies I am much less on board with. Original Middle Earth material from a non-Tolkien source? Color me dubious.)
*Another group weighs in on the debacle that has become Ebay. As I write this Ebay's stock is flirting with a 52 week low of $19.94. The linked article does a good job of explaining some of the mess and why Ebay's customers are leaving the site in droves.
http://ebaygossip.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/professional-seller-alliance-pesa-tells-it-as-it-is/
And if that's not enough for you, Morgan Stanley downgraded Ebay's stock today. Here's a quote from an article on the reasoning why: “Seller checks and proprietary data indicate that trends deteriorated more than expected in Q3 amid eBay’s ongoing transition in its core marketplace, greater economic sensitivity and poor demand,” he writes in a research note today. Joseph writes that he now expects greater deceleration in global gross merchandise volume in Q3 than previously expected, with a possible year-over-year decline in the U.S. And he also cautions that eBay faces a “challenging holiday season.” Jospeh also notes that the company’s current issues are likely to linger: he cut estimates not only for Q3 and Q4, but also for 2009. “We have less conviction in eBay’s strategy to transform its core marketplace from an auction-based ‘thrift’ to a transaction-oriented platform that better addresses fixed-price in-season retail,” he writes."
Put another way, the whole thing is a mess and nobody has a clue where it will wind up, including those running the company.
* Controversy continues to follow Gwen Ifill and her role as moderator in the VP debate. I'll say this: she stands to gain substantially from an Obama victory in terms of book sales, therefore she has a vested interest and should not moderate. Can't anyone spell 'conflict of interest?'
This and that
Good morning bookies. Stand by for news.
Confessing a guilty pleasure here, there are few things more entertaining than a snarky dust-up between overbearing literary types. You can almost hear this guy sniffing as he speaks. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/30/nobel-literature-chief-ba_n_130619.html
Gwen Ifill, moderator of the Vice Presidential debate, is releasing a pro-Obama book on the day of the election. It is the intention of this blog to be non-political and unbiased. (I already have a blog that is political and biased, why have two?) Therefore, this is mentioned only because it is book related and in the news.
The Jewel of Medina is still on the way to British bookstores, who seem determined to carry the book regardless of what some barbarians may do or threaten. Too bad the US publisher doesn't have such courage. Although things do appear to be getting a bit sticky over there. It would seem those who don't approve of the book aren't in a mood to discuss it's merits, but would prefer to just kill everybody instead. Tsk-tsk. Sounds like some anger management counseling is in order. Or maybe a course on tolerance.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24415019-5001986,00.html
And speaking of Lord Nelson (we weren't?), I found this article very interesting, for those among you who crave anything and everything Napoleonic and Oceanic. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/29/books.top.10s.nelson For those who aren't aware, books on the Napoleonic era navies are very popular. Authors such as Dewey Lambdin have carved out a loyal (if not fanatical) fanbase among readers who cut their teeth on the likes of CS Forrester and Patrick O'Brian.
Terry Pratchett was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Not only is this dreadful on any number of levels, not least of which is that he brings joy to millions with every Discworld novel, but to your friendly neighborhood bookseller this is quite personal. I met Mr. Pratchett at MidSouthCon 2006, and anyone who was there can testify to his popularity. I waited in line to get my 2 books signed for more than two hours, a line that filled the dark, dank hallways of that dingy hotel MSC has called home for years now, only to find out that Mr. Pratchett was due at a panel and we would have to come back that night to get our books signed. So I drove home, drove back, wiated in line again and finally was able to meet the most distinguished, exhausted but jovial gentleman. This link is to a speech Mr. Pratchett gave to the Tories in England asking for as much help as humanly possible for those afflicted with this disease: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/29/toryconference.health1
Lastly, I list this last link for those who love to read history because it is quite personal for me. The gist of the article is that historians used to do much more than list arguments for or against a particular viewpoint, or give a straight recitation of facts, historians were storytellers who just weren't making things up. And the best among them still are. David McCullough comes to mind. His biography of John Adams is stunningly entertaining, as is his history of the building of the Panama Canal. He is a role model for your friendly neighborhood bookseller, who is himself researching a book (that may or may not ever get written, but that's another story). The best history is history that is enjoyable to read.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24416689-5001986,00.html
That's all for now, bookies.
Confessing a guilty pleasure here, there are few things more entertaining than a snarky dust-up between overbearing literary types. You can almost hear this guy sniffing as he speaks. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/30/nobel-literature-chief-ba_n_130619.html
Gwen Ifill, moderator of the Vice Presidential debate, is releasing a pro-Obama book on the day of the election. It is the intention of this blog to be non-political and unbiased. (I already have a blog that is political and biased, why have two?) Therefore, this is mentioned only because it is book related and in the news.
The Jewel of Medina is still on the way to British bookstores, who seem determined to carry the book regardless of what some barbarians may do or threaten. Too bad the US publisher doesn't have such courage. Although things do appear to be getting a bit sticky over there. It would seem those who don't approve of the book aren't in a mood to discuss it's merits, but would prefer to just kill everybody instead. Tsk-tsk. Sounds like some anger management counseling is in order. Or maybe a course on tolerance.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24415019-5001986,00.html
And speaking of Lord Nelson (we weren't?), I found this article very interesting, for those among you who crave anything and everything Napoleonic and Oceanic. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/29/books.top.10s.nelson For those who aren't aware, books on the Napoleonic era navies are very popular. Authors such as Dewey Lambdin have carved out a loyal (if not fanatical) fanbase among readers who cut their teeth on the likes of CS Forrester and Patrick O'Brian.
Terry Pratchett was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Not only is this dreadful on any number of levels, not least of which is that he brings joy to millions with every Discworld novel, but to your friendly neighborhood bookseller this is quite personal. I met Mr. Pratchett at MidSouthCon 2006, and anyone who was there can testify to his popularity. I waited in line to get my 2 books signed for more than two hours, a line that filled the dark, dank hallways of that dingy hotel MSC has called home for years now, only to find out that Mr. Pratchett was due at a panel and we would have to come back that night to get our books signed. So I drove home, drove back, wiated in line again and finally was able to meet the most distinguished, exhausted but jovial gentleman. This link is to a speech Mr. Pratchett gave to the Tories in England asking for as much help as humanly possible for those afflicted with this disease: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/29/toryconference.health1
Lastly, I list this last link for those who love to read history because it is quite personal for me. The gist of the article is that historians used to do much more than list arguments for or against a particular viewpoint, or give a straight recitation of facts, historians were storytellers who just weren't making things up. And the best among them still are. David McCullough comes to mind. His biography of John Adams is stunningly entertaining, as is his history of the building of the Panama Canal. He is a role model for your friendly neighborhood bookseller, who is himself researching a book (that may or may not ever get written, but that's another story). The best history is history that is enjoyable to read.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24416689-5001986,00.html
That's all for now, bookies.
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