Heart Happy (cathy_edgett) wrote,
Heart Happy
cathy_edgett

Books -

It is probably obvious that I love books. The walls of my home are lined with books and they are propped up everywhere. I could be a library or book store. I learned a few years ago that about 5% of the books sold support the rest. 95% of the books make no money, but the book industry carries on because of the best-sellers. Now, Wal-mart is threatening that and threatening the book industry. How scary is that?

I have never been in a Wal-mart, so can't say I'll stop supporting them, but I think we need to make it clear that a book that is slaved over and printed on paper and marketed needs to cost a reasonable price. What bothers me most is that it seems this is driven by Palin's book. Pricing it under $10.00 might mean someone buys it just to see what it is, and that puts it on the best-seller list and so then it appears to be successful. If a book is given away below the cost of production, does it then deserve to be called a best-seller?

I would like to see the authors, the good ones, like Stephen King, John Grisham, and Barbara Kingsolver say that they will not allow their books to be sold below a certain price. It is up to them to band together and set a standard that allows the book industry to continue and each of us to have access to a vast array and variety of books.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/books/17price.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


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