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| There is an up-tick in the end-of-the-world talk these days on account of the Mayans, Hollywood movies, and Harold Camping. That's all fine with me but it's obscuring the heart-rending, stomach-wrenching news released by Amazon a couple of days ago (http://www.american.com/archive/2011/may/the-end-of-the-book). The e-book volume has surpassed the tactile-book total!!!!
No!!!
As the article (see link) points out, it is dumb to lose money when your alternative is to make money. Since science fiction is not 'serious' work it will join the other garbage (i.e. mysteries, thrillers, romance, fantasy) in the "only available in e-book" category. Only autobiographies and history and how to lose weight, serious books will be hardcover.
This may well be all fine with everyone else but since I only buy and read hardcover books (I am building a little library and paperback just doesn't look good... yes, I am judging a book by its binding) this is bad news for me!!!!! I am sad.
"Physical books will surely become much rarer in the marketplace. Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thrillers, "romance fiction," etc. Such books, which only rarely end up in permanent collections either private or public, will probably only be available as e-books within a few years. Hardback and trade paperbacks for "serious" nonfiction and fiction will surely last longer. Perhaps it will become the mark of an author to reckon with that he or she is still published in hard copy." |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | Wintermute, I'm in the same boat as you! Love the hardcover books and I've amassed quite a few classic SF hardcovers thanks to Half Price Books' clearance section. It will be a sad day when hardcovers go away. For me, I like to read in all kinds of formats. For instance, I have a Kindle that I typically use for new releases that I don't want to wait on since I can can usually get a book for around $10 instead of the new hardcover price of $25 and up. I'll read paperbacks too if they're given to me but I rarely buy them anymore. I can get a hardback for $3 so it makes it hard to pony up $10 for a paperback. They'll all eventually make it to the used bookstore and I have plenty of old stuff yet to read so it's no big deal. |
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| Nice. I was not aware of Half Price Books Marketplace.com, so thanks for the tip. I typed in a couple of ISBN numbers to see if the hardbacks I am searching for are available and they are! The only problem is they are $40 to $60 each. Damn you e-Kindle and i-Pad and your progress! My wife is going to be less than amused (I have a standing wish list of books for her to pick from for all special occasions that involve gift giving) that the only books I want are $60 each! Honk. |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | Wintermute - 2011-05-22 6:39 AM Nice. I was not aware of Half Price Books Marketplace.com... I've never shopped HPB online but that sounds a bit high to me for any of their books unless what you're after is rare or something special - maybe a first edition? Their online marketplace is not really buying from them though. It says that it's a bunch of sellers who set their own prices so that might be why the price is so high. What books are you looking for? I can take a look at my store and see if they have it and how much. They have a 20% off everything sale coming up May 26-30 so I'll be there for that for sure.
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| Hazaa! I was looking for some old Nebula/Hugo/Locus winning classics (but only in hard cover). I checked out the resources page and saw that the site offers links to some awesome sci-fi / fantasy / horror book sellers. I eventually made my way over to Biblio.com as a result. I am going to have to check these sites out as soon as I am finished with my exam (June 4). Biblio.com looks very promising.
Well, I am looking for the following books in hardcover. If your store has them and you stop by during the sale then let me know! I actually live outside of the USA so my search for sci-fi books is a little more cumbersome then I wish it was!
(9780312850562) Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
(9780575072190) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
(9780575073395) Ringworld by Larry Niven
(9780575073180) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
(9780441004065) Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
(9780739477045) Startide Rising by David Brin
(9780739487136) Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
(0395264707) Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
(9789997414366) Gateway by Frederik Pohl
(9780575014121) The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
(9780060125639) The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
(9780151327737) The Fountains Of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
(9780739450611) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
(9780575073364) The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | That's a great list of classics! I've printed it out and put it in my wallet so I'll have it on hand. I'll take a look prior to the sale on the 26th and let you know what I find. |
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| That's super generous of you! Let me know. Please don't go out of your way. If there's anything there then we can figure out how I can get the money to you and the book(s) to me. Thanks again. And, please don't let it be too much trouble. |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | Wintermute - 2011-05-23 9:53 PM That's super generous of you! Let me know. Please don't go out of your way. If there's anything there then we can figure out how I can get the money to you and the book(s) to me. Thanks again. And, please don't let it be too much trouble. I'm going to be there anyway so it'll be no tribble at all. I usually go to several locations around town (Dallas) just to see what's there that I want. Your list makes it a bit of a treasure/scavenger hunt. Plus, I hate to think you'd end up paying so much for a book. Keep your fingers crossed. |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | @Wintermute: Well, the sale is over and it was a pretty decent one. I managed to get to 3 area stores and found lots of great stuff though not nearly as much as last time. From your list I only managed to find 2: The Gods Themselves (book club edition) and Gateway. Got 'em both for just under $8 so not bad! Shoot me a private message and we can exchange details. If you don't want them, no problem - I'm sure I can find room on my shelf for them  ! For me I found hardcover editions of To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, The World Inside by Robert Silverberg, To Die in Italbar by Roger Zelazny and The Best of Lester Del Rey. The Del Rey I bought principally for the awesome cover but I've never read any Del Rey before so here's my chance to try him out. All 4 for under $10 so again not a bad deal.
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| WOWZA. Awesome.
I have a super important exam coming up on Saturday that I must pass or I will be super important sad. So let me get back to you on Sunday, ok? I have to focus 99% on memorizing formulas and such.
Thank you very much!
Awesome. |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | Wintermute - 2011-05-31 10:53 PM WOWZA. Awesome. I have a super important exam coming up on Saturday that I must pass or I will be super important sad. So let me get back to you on Sunday, ok? I have to focus 99% on memorizing formulas and such. Thank you very much! Awesome. Sounds great. Best of luck with your super important exams! |
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Location: Grootfontein, Namibia | I've never bothered with the hardcovers myself. But I see the benefit when a book is overly think, like Connie Willis's Blackout/All Clear novel. Paperback editions then become an arduous task to read as I try not to bend the backs. I find paperbacks a lot more convenient - easy to pack, store and travel with. Still haven't got used to e-books, but it's probably due to the lack of a decent e-reader device. I'm saving for a Kindle, but buying all these paperbacks means that it'll still be a while :-) |
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Location: Dallas, Texas | Emil - 2011-06-02 2:48 AM I've never bothered with the hardcovers myself. But I see the benefit when a book is overly think, like Connie Willis's Blackout/All Clear novel. Paperback editions then become an arduous task to read as I try not to bend the backs. I find paperbacks a lot more convenient - easy to pack, store and travel with. Still haven't got used to e-books, but it's probably due to the lack of a decent e-reader device. I'm saving for a Kindle, but buying all these paperbacks means that it'll still be a while :-) I think you'll like the Kindle if you get one. I love mine! It really is convenient and for travel you can't beat it. I've got 30 or so books on mine. Try pacdking that in a suitcase in hardcover! Or even paperback for that matter. I think I'd probably go completly digital if it were not for 2 things: 1.) I really love hardback books. I can get 'em cheaper than a Kindle book usually if I buy used (except for new releases) and they look great on the shelf in my office. 2.) Book shopping is one of my favorite past-times. I go to the bookstore to socialize with my friends and to get away from the daily hub-bub. Finding a great old classic SF title in hardcover is like a treasure hunt too. I'm not giving either of those things up anytime soon so I just bounce around mediums. |
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Location: Grootfontein, Namibia | I'm getting there. Question is which one to purchase. Kindle 3G + wi-fi or the Kindle DX?
There is nothing that beats the old sf classic treasure hunt. I too love browsing bookshops. It's the only pleasure I take from the horrors of shopping mall shopping  |
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End of the World for Hard Cover Snob