Hello Gentle Reader
(I)
It is the twenty first century. Consumerism and technology has driven itself to newer and stronger heights in the advent of the popularization of the internet, and its revolutionary way of looking at the mail order business. At the same time, as much as this may seem to be great for the consumer – and it really is; bigger businesses are suffering. What does that mean than for smaller businesses than? Independent book sellers, already competing against large book store chains like Indigo-Chapters with its addition of Coles, or that of Barnes & Noble, and now the Amazon franchise which has repeatedly had to verify its claim as a business and its validation as competition, against other large name book sellers; who (like Indigo-Chapters) have denounced Amazon; for its interruption of the company in its nationwide monopoly of book selling. Three independent book sellers in America have filed a class action law suit against Amazon and the “Big Six,” publishers (Random House, Penguin, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, and Macmillan), for contract deals that “unreasonably restrain trade and commerce in the market for ebooks.” Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Posman Books and Fiction Addiction; independent book sellers, are taking the charge against the publishers and Amazon, for what they see as the destruction of not only their livelihood but the whole concept of book culture, of independent book sellers, and has/is leading to a lack of choice for consumers, and has damaged their sales.
This however is just the latest battle, of the book and ebook trade. Earlier, five of the Big Six publishers and Apple, faced accusations and a law suit of price fixing, and monopolisation. Many sympathize with the independent book stores, and their law suit against big business, that have many fearing that it will eventually out right destroy their livelihoods, the culture, and the trade of books but also the consumers right to choose where they get the book from; many feel that the law suit, may not do anything. Yet it is the principle, of the law suit that carries most of the weight.
(II)
The two time Booker Winning author (the first English writer to do so and first female) has found herself in a bit of hot water, in regards to a lecture she had made. In the “Royal Bodies Lecture,” Hilary Mantel the author of the trilogy of historical English Tudor novels; has made her opinion known that the Duchess of Cambridge Princess Kate, was doomed to follow the footsteps of predecessors Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, and Princess Diana. Each of these women suffered untimely deaths. The last being, the most potential for a bomb shell eruption – considering The Duchess is married and is carrying the child of the son of the late Princess Diana. This has put both Mantel on the hot seat, for her comments, but also “The London Review of Books,” which has made it quite clear that it authors should be encouraged to deal with front page issues. However many are attacking “The London Review of Books,” because it itself, is hiding its true self behind, academic pretensions; where as of late it has blanketed attacks, in literary musings and discussions on historical value, in which it is just a better tabloid magazine, disguised. – For More information please see “The Guardian,” Books Blog.
(III)
That is all that I was able to scrounge up Gentle Reader. Lately Gentle Reader, I thought the blog needed a break from all the book reviews. Though of course in the Literary World, nothing much has happened. At least nothing truly worth noting – of that is also my own humble opinion. However some more books, that I ordered have come in Gentle Reader. Some more Archipelago Books, by such authors like Pierre Michon, Elisabeth Rynell; to other books like “Woman As Lovers,” by Elfriede Jelinek – once one has a taste of some truly provocative prose, there is a feeling that one just can’t let go or get enough of; to “Zig Zag Through the Bitter Orange Trees,” by Ersi Sotiropoulos – which I have been meaning to get for quite some time. And of course as a special treat I did go out and buy two of the “Best European Fiction,” anthologies – twenty thirteen and twenty twelve respectively. So there are a few books to be read; and a few surprises not mentioned.
Though in the long run, February has one more blog to be posted on it. So there are hopeful moments where 2013 starts off on a bigger and better note; even though two months have already passed, and in a few months – or two; spring will upon us. The evenings will be less dank and dark with the bluish grey twilights or the indigo dusk. Soon the evenings will be lighter. A faint sheet of pink linen will be stretched across the sky before darkness of the cool damp spring nights will encompass the earth.
For now though Gentle Reader
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
*And Remember: Downloading Books Illegally is Thievery and Wrong*
M. Mary
