Book Sizes

I was down in Albany, NY recently where I visited the independent book store, the Book House.

As a lover of books, I saw a juxtaposition w/n the shelves that was very telling. Below are two pictures of the same book (taken from my phone).





I don't understand why the bigger book is priced at $16.99 while the smaller book is priced at $7.99. Nor are they simply different editions. Nor the interior font any bigger. Nor is there any difference in the interior art. Nor is it like there are more words in the bigger one than the smaller one.

Sh** like this is frustrating.

Its similar to what I saw in the early 2000s w/ music downloading & the lack of purchasing alternatives. If the record companies are going to discontinue music singles (a form of which that has been around in some way shape or form since the 1950s) and produce crap albums and press out barely 12 songs then expect us to be grateful we're shelling out (what was then) $15 for an album and then claim poverty while your artists are luck it they make $.50 on every album they sell, why shouldn't they be allowed to download stuff if for nothing else than to get some glimpse as to what our money is buying. Its bullsh**.

Its the same deal here.

I WANT to support traditional paper books. I prefer the tactile experience & the joy I get by passing on a good read to someone else. But if the publishing companies see nothing wrong w/ gouging us, why shouldn't the consumer look at alternative reading mediums?

This is why I support e-readers whether its the Kindle, the Nook, or any of the tablet downloadable apps.

The ones who are hurt by this greed are the local businesses (since they are essentially the middlemen) as well as the artists themselves. But whatever. Such is life & that's a shame.


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In other news...
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This is Candace participating in my Abandonment series. I was surprisingly please how well this out-take was.



Feel free & comment on any part of this if you so desire.

Ode to Red Fox Books

I'm greatly saddened in hearing Red Fox Books, a small independent bookstore in downtown Glens Falls, will soon be shutting its doors.

I've gotten a number of books there. My favorite has been Joseph Heller's "Catch-22". Its sorta become my ritual to mail that to anyone I know who's deployed w/ the military.

Though I like & respect Mr Funiciello, owner of the Rock Hill Bake House, I fundamentally disagree with his public position that "the community didn't support the store." My reasoning is that that reason is to simplistic. One could say that about ANY business folding.

Sometimes there are just outside factors w/ whom the business owner have no direct control over. The dreadful state of the economy is a place to start. Choosing a bad location is another factor. Sometimes the profit margin leave little room for error. Sometimes the hired crew (or the owner) isn't up to the task. Sometimes people bungle the marketing. I'm not saying any these apply to Red Fox's closing, just trying to make a point.

Sometimes a new technology comes along that turns everything upside down. The rise of MP3's killed CD sales. The prevalence of cell phones dug hard into the profits of landline phone companies. In the case of Red Fox, the rise of the tablets & e-readers chipped away at their already small profit margins.

My point being sometimes people can do everything right & still lose.

The implications of the store's closing WILL indeed suck for this book loving fiend. I will now have to drive 20-25 minutes to my nearest Barnes & Nobles to enter any bookstore whatsoever. Nor have I been impressed w/ its selection, it "feels" very one-dimensional. Like if I went into a Barnes & Nobles in Albany, it'd be the same basic selection as the one in Saratoga.

People will adapt, life will go on, hopefully something just as good if not better will fill the void. Such is life.

I'm simply grateful for having met Sue Fox & Naftali Rottenstreich, sympathize their business endeavor didn't pan out, yet curious in seeing what the next stage in their life will be.


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In other news...
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I never get tired of working w/ Lauren.

*sigh*



Feel free & comment on any part of this if you so desire.