OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Troy's Work Table wishes everyone a wonderful 2010.

SEMI-HIBERNATION...

...seems to be the order of the (very short) day(s) right now. I will return with more books, art, and beer sometime after the first of the year.

THE PREFERRED FORMAT

The arguments for promoting electronic books and reading devices just astound me.

An Amazon spokesman told the [Wall Street Journal], "Authors get the most publicity at launch and need to strike while the iron is hot. If readers can't get their preferred format at that moment, they may buy a different book or just not buy a book at all."*

Readers that prefer paperbacks don't get them at the release of the hardcover. They have to wait an average of 12 to 18 months. Oftentimes, the audiobook is released a few months after the hardcover.

These arguments on behalf of the consumer are incredibly lazy and untrue and self-serving. Amazon.com has lost all credibility with me as they try to sell their Kindle reader and increase their profit stream at the expense of reader, booksellers, bookstores (of whatever ilk), authors, and publishers.

---

*From the Thursday 10 December 2009 issue of Shelf Awareness, as a response to news that Simon & Schuster will be delaying the release of E-book versions of frontlist authors until a few months after the release of the hardcover edition of the same.

FLIP THE SWITCH

Flip the switch...


Ta da!

SANTA PARADE

This evening was Puyallup's annual Santa Parade and Tree Lighting. The child and I sat on the cold sidewalk and watched the floats, cars, bands, and groups pass us by as we huddled together for warmth.


(1) One of the child's favorite entries was the cross-eyed Rudolph truck and trailer with band.


(2) Where else can you see a phalanx of elementary school crossing guards?


(3) There are always tractors...


(4) The brass of the Sumner Spartans marching band.


(5) Surf-rock legends The Ventures rocking out some Christmas tunes.


(6) The Salvation Army mobile Giving Tree.


(7) Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus riding on an old Puyallup Fire Department truck.

MOSTLY BOOKS

This morning, the child and I headed out in the freezing fog to visit the historic Gig Harbor waterfront. We had two main goals. The first was to take some pictures for TWT's "Cutting In" project. The second was to visit Mostly Books.

Mostly Books is a small space that is filled with new releases and has a Pacific Northwest focus. All of the major bookstore categories are represented and they will special order any book that you can't find on the shelf.

Troy's Work Table was especially thrilled with their nautical section, and picked up a 2010 tide graph calendar for the Seattle area.

---

I'm buying books for the holidays. Are you?