For The Love Of Books

Zinging the President, respectfully, of course.

2006-05-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

The best of Stephen Colbert's White House Correspondence Dinner Keynote address:
The audition:

Video of speech Part I and Part II
Brilliant blurbs via the Daily Kos:

"We're not so different, he and I. We get it. We're not brainiacs on the nerd patrol. We're not members of the factinista. We go straight from the gut, right sir? That's where the truth lies, right down here in the gut. Do you know you have more nerve endings in your gut than you have in your head? You can look it up. I know some of you are going to say "I did look it up, and that's not true." That's 'cause you looked it up in a book."

"Jesse Jackson is here, the Reverend. Haven't heard from the Reverend in a little while. I had him on the show. Very interesting and challenging interview. You can ask him anything, but he's going to say what he wants, at the pace that he wants. It's like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is."

Mass Market Paperbacks On Steriods!

2005-08-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

They carried dog-eared copies of "On the Road" in their back pockets during college and devoured Tom Clancy paperbacks on airplanes as young executives. But as baby boomers near retirement, they are finding it harder and harder to read the small type of mass-market paperbacks, the pocket-size books that are the most popular segment of the publishing business.

Faced with declining sales, two of the biggest publishers of mass-market titles, the Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster, have begun issuing new paperbacks by some of their most popular authors in a bigger size that allows larger type and more space between lines.

Their here, there queer and girth, means sales.

Making Books Easier To Find

2005-08-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

In October 2004 we announced a program called Google Print, a way for publishers to make their books discoverable by the millions of people who search on Google every day. Shortly thereafter, we added a complementary program to help find all books more easily by partnering with libraries to index their collections too. The goal of Google Print is ambitious: to make the full text of all the world's books searchable by anyone. These books are hard to find now, and for most of them, no full-text search exists. We think that making books easier to find will have a positive impact on the world, and we welcome the challenge.

Google is suspending the scanning of books until November.

Shelby Foote

2005-06-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

"He was a Southerner of great intellect who took up the issue of the Civil War as a writer with huge sanity and sympathy,".

Don't like the book, return it....don't buy the book, it gets returned.

2005-06-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

In 2003, 34 percent of adult hardcover books were returned to publishers, compared with 28 percent in 1993, says Albert N. Greco, a professor at the Fordham Graduate School of Business and a leading industry statistician. That's more than one in three adult hardcover books that publishers edit, print, distribute and market. According to the Association of American Publishers, those returns in 2004 had a wholesale value of $801 million, up from $743 million in the prior year. It is a system nobody likes, but no one knows how to change, even though the country's largest book retailer says it would like to try.

Returning books can be heartbreaking for a bookseller, unless the book is the soon to be remaindered I AM Charlotte Simmons. Just wtf was Wolfe thinking when he wrote this atrocity????

Bill Gates to pen new book, The Road WAY ahead?

2005-05-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Bill Gates plans to author a new business book. [TP]

Whacking Google

2005-05-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

A US publishing organisation has accused Google of breaching copyright rules through a plan to put university libraries online. Thwarting progress is so "in".

Perfect Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track: The Letters of Richard P. Feynman edited by Michelle Feynman

2005-04-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Bookslut review of Feynman's book.

Fine Man, that Feynman

2005-04-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

NYT's review of very funny, very brilliant, very dead author.

Booktastic

2005-04-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

"Booktastic! is a fun-for-the-whole-family game that combines traditional strategic and competitive play with the sharing of modern literary information!Booktastic! includes over 800 questions about modern fiction authors and their works. Designed for readers, book lovers, families and educators, players move around a quaint town square of bookstores to buy, sell and trade books with money earned from correctly answering questions or sharing opinions prior to each turn. The "books" in each store contain real-life information so players learn about noteworthy books, authors, and first edition values. Even people who do not read enjoy this game with its unique category of questions with no wrong answer."

"Where are your new Non-Fiction Novels ?"

2005-03-31T13:50:00.000-08:00

No, this extremely funny and factually correct cartoon isn't a promotional tool for Pam Anderson's upcoming television series "Stacked", but its amusing all the same. We have actually heard all these and many more like them at the bookstore and once I've reached my fill of the offending requests, I just start smacking people. "Where's your non-fiction?" SMACK! "Turn around and look" I say, "Where?" SMACK! "Sir, is the book based on actual facts or is it a novel?", "Of course its a novel, that's why I'm here and it's a true story about the BTK killer and the publisher website said it was supposed to be out today", "Sir, its Sunday, the probability of that occurring is slim to none." SMACK! This story is ongoing, stay tuned in for updates. :|

And speaking of Ms. Anderson, she's now blogging about her hard work during the production of ~~stalked~~...err...paging Dr. Freud...that would be Stacked, not stalked, mmmkay. Alrighty, together now: Knit one=insert knitting needle into left eye, Pearl two = insert knitting needles into right eye. Sweet relief.

And for your amusement and or horror the book purchase of the week goes to the truck driver that bought some nasty ass erotica and a book on the Green River Killer. Thanks for your purchase sir and you have a TERRIFIC day! *gulp*
[comic link via BS]
[cross posted here]

Books ala Oscar!

2005-01-27T21:46:00.000-08:00

Yummy!

Best Picture nominees Sideways and Million Dollar Baby are based on the books Sideways by Rex Pickett (St. Martin's Griffin) and Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner by the late F.X. Toole (Ecco), respectively. St. Martin's published Sideways, screenwriter Pickett's first novel, as an original paperback, and the book now carries a tie-in cover. A new edition of Toole's book, published by Ecco Press on January 1, is retitled Million Dollar Baby, and it sports a new jacket reflecting the popularity of the Best Picture nominee.

Books that relate to other Best Picture nominees include J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys by Andrew Birkin (Yale University Press) with the film Finding Neverland and Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story, written with David Ritz (Da Capo), with the film Ray.

One does not simply walk into Mortar (sp)

2005-01-27T21:12:00.000-08:00

Lord of the Rings style

Solong, and thanks for the Asteroid!

2005-01-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

Douglas Adams is an asteriod.

New Harry Potter Book Due July 16

2004-12-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Christmas came early for fans of the fictional boy wizard Harry Potter on Tuesday, with news that author J.K. Rowling has finished the sixth book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

The book, set to be published on July 16, 2005 in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, picks up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as his evil foe Lord Voldemort's "power and followers are increasing day by day," Rowling's publishers Bloomsbury and Scholastic said.

"I know you all expected this to happen on Christmas Day, but I was sure that those of you who celebrate Christmas have better things to do on the day itself than fight your way into my study, whereas those of you who don't celebrate Christmas would definitely prefer not to wait until the 25th," Rowling said in a message on her Web site (http:/www.jkrowling.com/), accessible only after fans solve several riddles.

The book, which has been delivered to the publishers, opens with a chapter that "has been brewing in J.K. Rowling's mind for 13 years," Bloomsbury and Scholastic said. The billionaire author has said the "half-blood prince" of the title is neither Harry nor Voldemort.

"I am so excited!!! We've all waited so long!!!! Thank you JK!!!!!!!!!!" one fan gushed on a Harry Potter Web site.

[via: MuggleNet]

Books Are Dead, Long Live Books!

2004-12-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

During the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, consumer electronics surpassed books as Amazon's largest sales category. The milestone, set at a time when its book business also posted record sales, is an important indication that Amazon can diversify beyond media products.

All I have to say about that is: blet. Yes, its fancy gadgets, digi-cams, cheap telly's and mp3 players time to shine. Fear not, they'll be back for books when they can't figure out how to run their shiney futuristic object du jour's. [via: bookslut]

Borders Announces 2004 Original Voices Awards Nominees

2004-11-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

"The Original Voices program helps us share our passion for books with our customers and highlight for them some of the most innovative and ambitious works in the world of literature throughout the year," said Mike Spinozzi, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Borders Group. "The finalists for the 2004 Original Voices Awards represent what our booksellers and home office employees found most compelling this year. We look forward to discussing these titles in the coming months and announcing the winners after the holidays."

Click here for article.

Seattle Weekly Book Reviews

2004-11-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

Understimulated: three books about sex. By Judy McGuire

Textbook Stickers Here

2004-11-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

Being politically correct can be fun, kinda.

Neal Pollack's Favorites

2004-11-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

If you don't know who Neal Pollack is, you should, well, that is if you enjoy smart-assed-vitriol-laden satire like myself. Mr. Pollack shares his picks for the year here.

RIP Iris Chang

2004-11-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

I totally missed the fact that Ms. Chang has died, duh.

SEATTLE - Historians, activists and Asian communities nationwide were shocked and saddened to learn that on Tuesday, Nov. 9, acclaimed author and journalist Iris Chang, 36, had been found dead in her 1999 Oldsmobile sedan on the side of the road in an apparent suicide. Her body was discovered by a commuter at about nine a.m. on a rural road south of Los Gatos, Calif.

“The Asian American community lost a bright and promising author and historian when Iris Chang died,” said Christine Chen, director of the Organization of Chinese Americans. “We at OCA will choose to remember her as a provocative and dedicated scholar who advocated for justice.”

Chang’s most famous work was her controversial 1997 book, “The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II,” which described the atrocities the Japanese army committed against the citizens of Nanking during World War II, the first full-length English language account of the events. The book, in its graphic but true to life depictions of that period of terror, changed people’s perceptions of the war by bringing to life an event that had gone ignored for much of the latter twentieth century.

Are You There God, It's Me, Judy.

2004-11-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

The National Book Awards have been announced and honor Judy Blume

Lit Idol

2004-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

As if having Fantasia, Ruben & Kelly weren't enough, Simon Cowell brings us Lit Idol.

This year, the competition is specifically looking for a crime writer.
Writers must submit up to 10,000 words from the opening chapters of their
novels and a synopsis.
Professional readers will choose a shortlist of five
following the competition closing date on 14 January.

Eventual winner
Paul Cavanagh had to read his work aloud
The final five will then have to
read their work in front of judging panel. A public vote will also take place,
which will account for 25% of the final decision.
The winner will be
announced at the London Book Fair on 14 March next year and could be screened on
TV.

Who will be the storyteller du jour, only time and ratings will tell...In England.

Adobe Book, Color Me Beautiful

2004-11-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

For one amazing week in November, Adobe Bookshop in San Francisco has
agreed to allow its estimated 20,000 books to be reclassified by color. Shifting
from red to orange to yellow to green, the books will follow the spectrum
continuously, changing Adobe from a neighborhood bookshop into a magical
library—but only for one week

I've been known to sort blank books by color, its fun and gosh darn it, its pretty, but the whole bookstore? Drugs are bad, mmmkay.

Borders Gift Mixer

2004-11-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, Borders has the Gift Mixer, it talks to you, it helps you find books and in a creepy kinda Hal voice asks you to be his friend. Um...nifty. :D

Vote BOOK!

2004-11-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Onion chronicles the life of a book that wants to be a best seller. LOL ;)
[via: bookslut]

Amazon's Best Of 2004

2004-11-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Best: Editor's #1. 9/11 Commision Report and the customers #1. My Life by Bill Clinton. I guess even the red states like biographies. ;)

Welcome!

2004-11-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Hello Booksellers and Welcome to "For The Love Of Books" this site started as an idea for a means to communicate Regionally. For those of you who care to participate, I ask that you don't mention the book store or company you work for, but feel free to post hot trends or titles in your store.

The side bar on the right has many INVALUBLE links that will help you in your search for what's going on in the bookselling world. I will post hot trends for the week, month, or year every Sunday. If you choose to join and contribute your ideas and thoughts, please keep in mind that no profanity will be tolerated, this is entirely business here folks and management has access to the site and will be review it periodically.

Why a site? Well because if your an internet geek like myself, you can spot trends, note top books and authors and you can only win by using this information. ANY bookseller interested in joining can email me @ tz_womanAThotmail.com or divinemscupieATgmail.com to join. (use the @ symbol, yo) Anyhoo, that's the gist of why this was created.

This idea came to me over a year ago, but it was the book Free Prize Inside!: The Next Big Marketing Idea by Seth Godin, Penguin 1591840414 that made me follow through with the idea. It takes a Village and if you join and contribute regionally, you will be the Village People.;)

Again, no company reference, no profanity or porn, this is a clean site and most importantly a tool that will help you build the basket and increase UPT's.

Author Page

2004-11-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Aaron Shepard Give it a look, the book King of Cats looks beautiful!

Book Sense Picks for December

2004-11-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Book Geeks surf.

Dispatches From a Public Librarian

2004-10-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

An Interview With Josh, Who Is a Library Page, and Whose Name Has Been Changed.

Man Booker Award

2004-10-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

I had just recently read a raving review of Alan Hollinghurst's new novel The Line Of Beauty: described as a "novel of gay love in the Thatcherite 1980s"; as a matter of fact every review I've read has been glowing. Congratulations sir!
[via: every damn literary blog out there]

Street Dates, On Sale Dates Etc.

2004-10-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

If your in the bookselling industry then you know the whole, "but the publisher said it was out today!". Good enough, but not really. Street Dates started out of fairness to all book dealer's. "Why does the grocery store have it and you don't?", kinda thing. All is fair in Love & War and because of streetdates, it is also fair for booksellers. A great article on the clarification of these selling dates at Bookseller.com. [via: galleycat]

‘Today’ book club selection: 'Heir to the Glimmering World'

2004-10-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Ozick’s stirring new novel explores a young woman’s entanglement with a refugee family in Depression-era New York

The Comic Book Periodic Table of Elements

2004-10-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Really, its amusing and educational.

Howdy & Welcome

2004-10-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've decided to make a site to assist booksellers with help in finding sites and trends in the publishing world. This is a tool and has no affiliation with any publishers, vendors or company. It is my love for literature and books that makes me devote time to helping others that love books. There are a million 'book' sites out there and as I come across them I'll link to them in the side blog for your convenience. Book Reviews, trends and notable news will be posted here and if anyone feels so inclined to share a review, a book or book site or just wants to participate, send review and so on, don't hesitate to to leave information in the comments section. Enjoy.