The Charge: Pandering. The Verdict: Guilty!
I received an email which charged me with pandering to the politically correct.
"I noticed that when you blogged about book stores, you began with the pandering plea (and I quote): ' first choice is ALWAYS a well-stocked independent bookstore with knowledgeable and friendly staff"."
"Really? Sometimes isn't it a pleasure to wander into a B&N or Borders and just wander around and marvel at all the stock? All the titles? Who cares if the person behind the counter is channeling Thomas Jefferson? Why do you think you need to apologize for liking the experience at a chain? Didn't you write that as a way to pander to the chain bashers?"
That was the indictment.
I plead guilty.
posted by Lewis Perdue at 12/11/2005 10:06:00 AM
3 Comments:
VIA DL
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005 17:19:12 -0500
From: Margaret Howland
Subject: Amazon bashing
Note to Lewis Perdue -- I agree with you entirely on some of the Bay
Area independents -- one is Berkeley comes instantly to mind. And it's not only Berkeley -- I live in Maryland now, and the nearest independent to me has the most unfriendly owner -- I'd love to buy her out and run her shop properly. And I'm sure she'd be happier doing something else.
On the other hand -- there are independents like Deb's in Columbia, SC, who obviously does it right (and whom I'll make it a point to visit next time I'm in town). As does the one mystery bookstore still alive in MD,Mystery Loves Company, in Baltimore. They are responsive, friendly, know their stuff, are worth the drive.
But it IS a drive, so I do order from Amazon more than I would if conditions were different. And they treat me like a favored customer. It's not hand-selling, they'll never glean that I'd love them to recommend that latest British mystery, because the last six books I ordered were something else. But in a pinch, and at the holidays? I have no complaints.
Margaret Howland
Silver Spring, MD
Yeah Lew check mine out for crank reviewers who never read the books. I never could get them off the sites. I gave up. Debaters, and I use the term loosely, use those as evidence I can't write or know what I'm talking about. On the Interent, oftimes the loosers win.
Should be quotes arounf "loosers" since that's how they spell the word.
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