"Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" (T.S. Eliot)

The Year in Book News, from Sheppard's Confidential

Another year comes to an end.  And what a year it has been!  National and international events aside,
the book trade is itself changing and it seems timely to review some of the major events in 2011 as we
have reported in this newsletter.  Here are some of the headlines:

January
Two companies received Royal Warrants: Blisset & Co., and Bibliophile Ltd. Twenty branches of
Waterstones to close… and UK Libraries came under more financial pressure – Devon Libraries started
to sell off valuable books. British Bookshops went into administration. Our business survey suggested
(from 400 who took part) that trade in 2011 would be much better about the same but 41 per cent
thought they would see an increase in their sales. World Book Market offered new Freeware. HD Fairs
went into liquidation. And major floods occurred in Brisbane (Australia).

February
WH Smith buys 22 bookshops. Canadian authors hire their own editors. Euro MP raises the Amazon
Price Parity issue; Delays in postage to USA. Borders book chain fails, and Australian book chain Angus & Robertson – and Whitcoulls went into voluntary administration. Books created from Wikipedia
entries by Alphascript and Betascript were exposed. Major earthquake hits Christchurch (New Zealand).  Several dealers lost their businesses and were lucky to get out of their buildings.

March
Abebooks acquires ZVAB. The ‘Bookdealer’ will not reappear in print. Devastation in Christchurch clear  for all to see – book dealers suffer. Another comic fetches high price: Archie Comics No 1 (1942) made $167,300.  Publishers in Europe raided by EU inspectors – all about the agency model for e-books. Whitcoulls in New Zealand for sale. Sales of books about Hitler boom. Google loses battle to create world’s largest library – US judge rules.  Michael Treloar launches ‘Books without Borders’ – to raise funds for dealers in Christchurch. Major earthquake and tsunami hits Japan.

Read more...

Judgemental Bookseller Ostrich

There are a whole lot of these... and some of them are downright hilarious. Any bookseller or bookstore lover will appreciate the genius.



   

If you read a lot of books you are considered well read. But if you watch a lot of TV, you're not considered well viewed. -- Lily Tomlin

Best Sustainable Christmas Tree Ever

I liked this, simple, creative and aesthetically pleasing to my bookseller eyes.

"Book lovers can sidestep the eternal question of farmed versus PVC (they both suck) and opt for a holiday display that's a monument to reading ... or bibliophilia, anyway, since trying to actually read any of the books in this display would be a holiday Jenga nightmare.

You don't even have to celebrate Christmas to want one of these in your house. Heck, you can build one and still do your part for the illusory War on Christmas, provided you build it entirely out of copies of The God Delusion."

New Concerns About Northwest Nuclear Waste Plant

11 Dec 2011 The federal government says a one-of-a-kind plant that will convert radioactive waste into a stable and storable substance that resembles glass will cost hundreds of millions of dollars more and may take longer to build, adding to a string of delays and skyrocketing price tag for the project. In addition, several workers at southeast Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation have raised concerns about the safety of the plant's design -- and complained they've been retaliated against for voicing their issues.

Earthlight Books Offers eBooks through Google's Affiliate Program

Begrudgingly (actually, it's kind of fun, cutting-edge, and cool) Earthlight Books is entering the realm of the eBook. If you follow this link, or any link to eBooks from our website, you will be taken to the mystical land of Google eBooks and their 3,000,000 titles. If you were to purchase anything while there, Earthlight will get 6% of the sale. A pittance perhaps, but an interesting service for us to offer our customers, both local and abroad.

from Earthlight Books

Thanks for your loyalty over the years, we look forward to the continuing evolution of our wonderful world of books!

MISCREANT

                                 n. A person of the
                                 highest degree of
                               unworth. Etymologically,
                                   the word means
                                 unbeliever, & its
                                present signification
                                 may be regarded as
                                 theology's noblest
                                 contribution to the
                                 development of our
                                    language.

                      — Ambrose Bierce, Devil's Dictionary 

Books are the compasses and telescopes and sextants and charts which other men have prepared to help us navigate the dangerous seas of human life. --Anonymous

A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money. -- W. C. Fields

Pray to God, but continue to row to the shore. --Russian Proverb