#against amazon

[therefugeofbooks]

I came across Against Amazon by Jorge Carrión when the instagram page of my local bookstore posted it as a recomendation. I didn’t know anything about the writer, but as I’m interested in the topic, it caught my attention.

The book is a collection of essays and articles. The first text is a manifest against Amazon, but differently from what I thought, the book is not only this. It explores different ways that we interact with books, new, used and indie bookstores, places that we visit because of books and writers, real and literary libraries and how bookstores are creating new forms not only to sell books but to experience it. Amazon is, directly and indirectly, in all the essays.

In my Brazilian edition, there are two additional parts, an appendix in which Carrión writes about bookstores in covid times, and an annex, with short texts from booksellers all over Brazil that own small bookstores (I was supper happy to find that the owners of my local shop contributed to the book!!).

It's a super interesting reading for people to reflect about book culture and the place of book lovers in this huge scheme of things. As any collection of texts, there're some essays that I didn't really like and I think there's sometimes an idealization of the past and almost disdain by all things technological. However, it still provides a great discussion.

Overall, I liked very much the book and it's always nice to read authors from the non-English speaking world, read about libraries and the book market in other countries. The Amazon discussion is still important and if you're up to a non-fiction book, check this one out!

[theweeklyzine]

Amazon is evil. We all know that. But why? And is it really that hard to delete your amazon acount? You'll find the answers in this zine, step by step.

Amazon ist böse. Das wissen wir alle. Aber warum genau? Und ist es wirklich so schwierig seinen Amazon-Account zu löschen? Die Antworten findest du in diesem Zine, step by step.

a zine by @clara_gru

[emilygould]

Left Bank Books announces its new program whereby Amazon.com buys its books from us at a fifty percent markup over list price. They will also be charged shipping. We believe this will allow Amazon to be a part of the bricks and mortar experience that they can’t do without. Prior to this program Amazon was forced to make do with warehouses in tax free environments that did not leave their customers with that satisfied, ’I supported my local economy’ feeling they increasingly want. Now with the innovative Left Bank Books program they are easily able to stay relevant in a world that demands more integrity from its retail experience.”

Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books, MO

burnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[mcnallyjackson]

From the inbox

Staffer David just sent this on to us McNJers:

In the heat of the battle against digital encroachment, we can sometimes forget that Amazon isn't just a faceless algorithm, but actually relies on humans to function. Apparently, Amazon forgets too.