Sol & all,
A few thoughts/experiences on how the independent book trade is going.
For used books I usually use Bibliofind which is an amazing connection to all
sorts of used bookstores. I have always been interested in used bookstores.
Recently, I bought a book called "The Art and Craft of Collage" by Simon
Larbalestier which was published a few years ago and went out of print very
quickly. I found five copies all priced differently on Bibliofind which has
independent as well as more web-based (commercial) bookstores. I try to support
the small stores when I can.
http://www.bibliofind.com/cgi-bin/texis.exe/s/search
As far as buying books locally, I do support the small store and have bought
three books (all the important Alfred Jarry stuff) from them recently.
Here in Maine also it's true that people worry about the local neighborhood
bookstore disappearing. However, recent reports in the newletter of the Maine
Writers & Publishers Alliance (where I volunteer a few hours a week) indicate
that they are doing just fine.
Reed
Sol Nte wrote:
> >Where is everyone?
>
> Where isn't everyone?
>
> You're right Roger, it is quiet. Not that I've been even remotely noisy
> recently..hope to be returning to being noisier though. Work seems to have
> calmed a bit (enough to send a few e-mails anyway). Hopefully I shall regain
> my natural slack in due course.
>
> I've just treated myself to a copy of Dick Higgin's "Pattern Poetry" from
> Barnes and Noble. I read a review of it in Lightworks some years ago but
> could never get hold of a copy. In fact these online bookstores are a great
> opportunity for those of us outside the US to finally get all the US
> published books we want. I even got a copy of Ray Johnson's "The Paper
> Snake" last year via the Barnes and Noble's used book section. In fact
> Barnes and Noble even have British avant-garde publications that I've never
> seen on sale here.
>
> I'm hoping getting a new poetry book will inspire me to write poetry again.
> I've written none since I did my last reading in 1993. I read to a small
> crowd in the shabby room above the independent bookshop(this bookshop still
> only had an outside toilet and was on the street where Arnold Bennett had
> lived) just before it closed. It's since been knocked down and been replaced
> by "Harleys" an American theme pub (I've not been in): Pretty sad really. It
> was a good bookshop run as a co-operative and with an excellent selection of
> new and used poetry books...I guess that there was just no demand for that
> sort of thing. I can't speak for all of England but I'm noticing that these
> independents are disappearing or moving to cheaper premises in out of the
> way places. Manchester's excellent "Frontline Books" with it's huge
> selection of zines and radical politics stuff alongside more usual stock has
> moved from it's fantastic city centre location where the rents were too high
> to cheap premises a little way out of the centre where people are unlikely
> to find it. That shop was always busy too. Sheffield's independent bookshop
> closed altogether so I was told and I believe that others are having a hard
> time.
> Then again mainstream bookshops are suffering too. My bookdealer friends
> think maybe people read less what with all the other forms of entertainment
> on offer. I don't know. I probably read less than I used to although I think
> that's because my eyes get strained using a computer all day....however I
> probably buy more books than ever and constantly have a large number of
> books that I am halfway through, finishing books here and there.
>
> Anyway, maybe others feel that there is a decline in the sort of
> literary independence typified by independent bookshops. I don't know. Maybe
> other people in England have a view different to mine. After all I'm only
> going by what I see. True I can still get independent publications by mail
> order but it was nice to browse at them in shops.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> cheers,
>
> Sol.
