I finally got a chance to read this article titled "Don't Support Your Local Bookseller." Didn't have a chance to read this new post at Slate.com this morning - gotta work people - which had 300 comments. Now, 12 hours later it has over 1,200 comments! And boy are some people hot. I am a bookseller, twenty-five years now, but mail-order only, no physical store. However I love going into the big stores, the used stores, any stores that have books. This person suggests that you can do it all "online" from your couch. Order, read sample chapters, Yeah, great, another reason to not get up and do anything, but to remain glued to these computers, with our fannies getting no exercise, no blood flowing through our viens. We are all already spending a lot of time on them. I love my computer.. but I also love getting out in the "world" and being a part.
At the rate we're going, we won't even have to see anyone in person anymore, just click Skype and your computer face to computer face with whomever you like. Click "Buy it now" and it's at the door. What? I still have to open the door and retrieve the item? Man..
Yes, the world is changing, and yes, how do these huge bookstores make the overhead they must incur every month. But make it they do, and the light bill gets paid so I can go in and SEE FOR MYSELF what's being published. Flip through the physical books. Look, we already lost our music stores (used to be Record stores) which I miss immensely. I hope that the bookstores can hang on and adjust to this new world. Otherwise my fanny may just begin to spread, on the couch, as well as yours.. if I have to sift through web page after web page of information and not move anything but my soon-to-be carpal tunnel wrists, we're all screwed people.
Look buddy, don't support your local bookstore, who needs ya? But moi? There's no question. Honey, let's go to Barnes and Noble and hang. Yes, you can bring your IPad.. but careful, they're gonna try and get you to buy a Nook.
Oh, and video games? If you're doing that too... whoa boy.
Don't Support Your Local Bookseller - Read This Madness HERE
Thanks to Jay Sheckley for letting me borrow her "Book Tree," as this really is the Sheckley's tree this year. Love it.
