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A Couple of Links to Make You Think

January 12, 2009 in press, publishing, used books by Claire | No comments

Sometimes I just want to listen to what other people are saying

Over the last few weeks, I’ve come across or been sent some interesting articles about publishing and writing books, and since a lot of the issues raised are ones Kim and I have touched on in previous posts (like this one, about the demise of publishing), I wanted to share them with you all.

David Streitfeld had a piece in The New York Times over winter break that relates to the ongoing discussion Kim and I have been having about the morality of buying used books (see our previous posts about it).  In the piece, entitled Bargain Hunting for Books and Feeling Sheepish about It, Streitfeld essentially blames the decline of the independent bookstore and possibly the entire publishing industry on the habits of readers–like himself–who lazily buy the cheapest copies of books they can find on the Internet (new or used) and  also on those who resell the books they’ve read right out of their homes. Read the rest of this entry »

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City Lights Bookstore

January 5, 2009 in bookstore, location, press, publishing by Claire | 2 comments

or What I Did on My Christmas Vacation

After Kim sent me TWO separate e-mails with links to websites that said City Lights is one of the best bookstores in the country, I figured she’d never forgive me if I came back from San Francisco without visiting it.   Not that it was a chore, by any means–I love going to bookstores–but it was a necessary pleasure.

Famous from its inception because the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti was one of the co-founders, City Lights quickly became a meeting place for members of “the Beat” generation and a supporter of books that conservatives wanted to ban.   They’ve continued their “fight the power” attitude–there’s a left-of-liberal political message  in every  well-lit upstairs window.  To summarize: Bush is bad, so is war, and freedom of expression is good.

I don’t mean to be overly glib: this is a good place which has supported the right side of literary and political causes for decades.  So they’ve earned the right to enjoy their reputation–not to mention the hordes of people who stream into the place and, I assume, actually purchase books before leaving. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Demise of Books? Don’t Bet on It.

December 10, 2008 in bookstore, press, publishing by Kim | No comments

Publishing

There has been a flurry of stories about the demise of the book and book selling the last few weeks.  First electronic readers and digitized books, then the lay offs and salary freezes by the publishing houses, followed by the re-organization of Random House, all the events have people wondering if the recession will devastate the industry. 

A recent story on NPR listed the doom and gloom of publishing and hinted at ways it may change.  Books are the only products that can be returned for a full credit if they don’t sell. Remember the notices on books that you should never buy a book without a cover?  That’s because instead of shipping the entire book back to the publisher, only covers would be shipped with the understanding that the book would be thrown away.  The bookstore received a credit for the unsold books that were returned via the cover, to then sell such a book would be ‘double dipping.’  The return practice may die in the recession.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Gift Ideas from Small Indie Presses in California

December 1, 2008 in gifts, press, recommended reading by Claire | 4 comments

Support Your Local Presses!

Bronwyn Mauldin forwarded to us a list compiled by the Future of Publishing Think Tank (see the end of this blog for more info on that group) of small, independent presses in Southern California that we should all think about supporting. 

In their e-mail release about these presses, the Future of Publishing Think Tank wrote,  “Check them out online or visit an indie bookstore, and enjoy the warm holiday feeling that comes from knowing you supported local artists and businesses instead of overseas sweatshops and multi-national retail chains.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

The following list is the Think Tank’s, but I’ve done a little research on my own to see what books they publish and which ones I would personally most want to find wrapped under the Christmas tree or tossed next to the Chanukah menorah. 

I figured I’d pass along the titles of the books that piqued my interest, so anyone who might be thinking about holiday presents right around now can see if there’s anything on the list that sounds “just right” for that special someone.

Read the rest of this entry »

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