I will try to keep my cool while I write this post, but every time I discuss this topic I get red in the face and my blood pressure rises. You will probably see lots of all caps words. The passion I have for this topic makes me want to write this WHOLE POST in all caps, but I know how annoying that is to read, so I’ll try to be judicious in using all caps.

I’ve meant to talk for a while about why I don’t buy from Amazon and never will again, but the recent drop in the price of Kindle has prompted me to write this post. I’ll try to organize my thoughts, but it’s likely that they’ll be scattered. I fear that I won’t be able to accurately articulate  my frustration, my fear, and my anger, but I’ll try.

The Basics

While I might choose to shop at my local independent bookstore (and wish more pople did the same), ultimately I have no problem with people going to a big chain bookstore to purchase books. Even chain bookstores are INHERENTLY INTERESTED in the future of publishing. But if publishing went south tomorrow? Amazon wouldn’t even BAT AN EYE. THEY DO NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO BOOKS.

Everyone knows that Amazon sells books at a deep, deep discount, particularly hardcovers, new releases, and bestsellers. Why would they do that? It’s not because they’re philanthropic. It’s because once they’ve got you at their store, there’s a good chance you’ll buy something that they DO make money on, i.e. electronics and other things they actually make money on. In business terms, this is called a loss leader. E-books have also been a loss leader for Amazon so it can “gain loyalty and market share.” So the industry that I’m so invested in, the industry that supplies my hobby, that makes me think outside of the box, that entertains me, that teaches me, that helps me connect with other people, that industry? Amazon would only care if books died because they’d have to find a new loss leader. That is not a company that has the best interests of publishing at its heart.

________

Amazon is a big bully.

You can read about the whole kerfluffle from Charles Stross and John Scalzi, but here’s the gist: Macmillan said, ‘We want you to charge x amount for our ebooks.’ Amazon said, ‘Fuck you. We want to charge less.’ Macmillan said, ‘No, these are our books, we think you’re setting an expectation with readers about ebook prices that we can’t sustain, and we want you to charge x amount for ebooks.’ Amazon’s response? Remove ALL THE BUY BUTTONS FROM ALL OF MACMILLANS titles. Effectively saying, Let’s see if we can make you do it OUR WAY by taking away your ability to sell your books through the biggest book retailer on earth.

HOW IS THAT OKAY?!!! Sure, I can let big companies duke it out, but I WILL NOT support a company that plays dirty (which is why I also don’t shop at WalMart).

This is a great article: The Trouble With Amazon. The article is well worth reading, but the part that made me recoil in horror is the story that one publisher has of trying to stand up to Amazon, refusing to give Amazon such a deep discount on books because it’s ILLEGAL. What did Amazon do?

“I was at the Book Expo in New York and two guys from Amazon came to see me. They said that the company was watching what we were doing and that they strongly advised us to get in line. I was shocked at how blatant the pressure was.” Within a couple of days Johnson noticed that the buy buttons for his books had been taken off Amazon’s site, making Melville’s titles unavailable.

WHY would I support a company that for all intents and purposes is a Mafia-like organization?

________

Last year at BEA I won a Kindle from GetGlue. Shortly after this MacMillan business went down, I gave the Kindle away because I couldn’t stomach supporting a company that I consider to be evil. Even reading free books off of their device seemed wrong.

I may someday buy a Nook or an iPad, but I will never ever buy a Kindle.

I mentioned that I won’t buy books or anything else at Amazon. The reason I was buying from Amazon before was because it was cheap and convenient. But I’ve decided that if I’m not going to support Amazon, then I AM going to support locally owned businesses or the actual business on the Internet that is supplying the ‘thing’ that I want to buy that I would have previously bought from Amazon. Guess what I’ve found? That buying locally/directly isn’t cost prohibitive for me. I paid $5 more for my messenger bag that I use every day by buying it directly from the supplier as opposed to ordering it from Amazon. $5 to me is nothing. It’s throwaway money. But to a business? That’s profit that I’m putting in A PERSON’S POCKET, as opposed to filling Amazon’s coffers. Supporting a person versus supporting a corporation? Do I really need to answer that?

And if I want an electronic device, I’ll go to Best Buy or Costco, but I don’t need cheap prices enough to turn a blind eye to what Amazon is doing. Nothing is worth that.

________

In this article titled In Defense of Amazon, said that Amazon is only providing people with what they want: cheaper products. But have we not learned that cheaper isn’t always better? And when has a company with as much power as Amazon has ever been a good thing?

You will not convince me that cheaper prices evolving the way Amazon has pushed the industry is beneficial to anyone.

________

I know that my not buying from Amazon and telling all my friends I won’t buy from Amazon won’t hurt them in the least. But I will not support what Amazon represents by buying books or anything else from them.

(Thanks to @KatherineBoG for helping solidify my opinions about Amazon.)

Last year, because blog traffic is slow around the holidays, I celebrated Festivus, which kicks off with the Airing of Grievances. Since only other bloggers are reading blogs around this time of year (’cause we’re crazy like that), it makes sense that we should get some things off our chest! Vent! Proclaim what is wrong with the world (or our families), so that we can start the new year with a clean slate ready for new frustrations.

Ready?

I’ll go first.

1. Stupid people. They’re everywhere.

2. Chase. Ever since my mortgage was moved to them, I’ve had problems. Problems that take HOURS to fix. And happen again the next month.

3. Irv Sutley, an active atheist who went around to county buildings where I work and demanded stars and angels be taken off of Christmas trees. Ironically, this happened the day I returned to work from my appendectomy, and I thought I was going to burst my newly healed scar, I was so angry. Before you cry separation of church and state, read about the issue here and note, “He [Rex Grady, a Santa Rosa attorney who teaches constitutional law at Empire College School of Law] cited another Supreme Court case in 1984 in which justices ruled that a municipal government’s holiday display, which included figures of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, constituted a celebration of Christmas but was not an official endorsement of religion or a particular faith.” I got so angry over this I ended up writing a letter to my County Supervisor.

4. Drivers who get impatient when I wait for a pedestrian to actually reach the sidewalk.

5. My computer is dying a slow death and I need it to hang on until January. Come on little buddy!

6. Blogs that are JUST for product reviews. Seriously, who reads those blogs? How do they get any traffic at all?

7. I’ve got a fungus on ONE toenail that is hanging on for dear life.

8. The only pants that are comfortable right now are my really soft pajama bottoms. Unfortunately, they’re not appropriate for work. Yay for being *almost* healed, boo for having to look presentable at work.

And I know, we’re celebrating Festivus, not Thanksgiving, but I’ve just got to mention that I have the best blogging friends in the whole world. I won’t name names, but you know who you are!

What’re your grievances? Have at it, because no one’s going to read this anyway!

Lenore from Presenting Lenore posted about an interesting topic today. She talked about where her last 20 books came from, partly because Marie of The Boston Bibliophile just posted a follow-up to her Bloggers and Commercialism post where she lists the sources of her last 20 reviewed books, and also because Julia Keller recently said, “The extra story is how that book made its way to you in the first place,” in her article in the Chicago Tribune.

I completely agree with Julia Keller about how the story of how you found a book is similar to “…a courtship story: The chance encounter, the first shy glance, the recognition of a shared sensibility and finally — ah, bliss! — the consummation.” I’m sure my husband wouldn’t appreciate being compared to a book, but isn’t there that feeling with a really good book of not wanting to part for a second, wanting to spend every minute together, and a feeling a pure satisfaction when you close the last page?

I digress…this post was supposed to be about bloggers and commercialism, not me waxing rhapsodic about books I love.

Marie poses these questions: “But no more freebies- no more purely promotional work. What would that mean for our blogs? For our reading? Is the only reason we blog to receive free books?”

While I believe I’ve stated that I don’t blog for free books, I’ll admit they’re nice to receive. What book lover wouldn’t relish receiving books because someone wanted THEIR OPINION on that book? As a peon in the grand scheme of things, I’m now a peon WHOSE OPINION IS SOLICITED. I think I just moved up, however microscopically, in the food chain.

My blog isn’t purely a book blog; I have other interests and other thoughts that I talk about here, so I don’t see how not receiving anything from authors or publishers would change my reading or the purpose/focus of my blog.

I liked that Lenore and Marie took their last 20 books and told you from whence they came, and I think I’ll do the same. However, I’m going to list all the books I’ve read this year and tell you where/how I acquired them, then I will break it down into percentages.

• I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb – This was a re-read of a book I already owned. I bought it years ago.
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer - I borrowed this book from a friend.
• The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver - I checked this out from the library because it was an Amazon Significant Seven.
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - Checked out from the library after reading a great review on a blog.
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Requested from publisher after reading a glowing review on a blog.
• In the Land of No Right Angles by Daphne Beal - Checked out from the library. I checked this book out because it had gotten great reviews in Publisher’s Weekly.
• Blindness by Jose Saramago – Checked out from the library after reading Raych’s review.
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Checked out from the library after hearing about it on various blogs, then I was going to buy a copy because I loved it so much, but happened to receive it as a gift from a friend.
• Wake by Lisa McMann – Checked out from the library after reading various reviews on blogs.
• Silk by Alessandro Baricco - I got this book from Bookmooch after reading some great reviews.
• The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram - Sent to me by the author for me to read for potential book tour.
• Geek Love by Katherine Dunn – I won this book from Jill at Fizzy Thoughts. I was going to pass the book on when I was done but loved it so much that I kept it.
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford - I requested this book from Shelf Awareness (I believe).
• The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan - Checked this book out from the library after reading some great reviews and finding out that the author would be making an appearance at a local bookstore.
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Borrowed from a friend.
• Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors - Received this book unsolicited from the author. Another author introduced us and I agreed to read his book(s) (I still have one book from the author that I haven’t read).
• Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales by Eleanor Bluestein - Received from the author, unsolicited, though I did agree to review it.
• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - Bought this book from a local bookstore because it was selected for my book club.
• My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult - I purchased this book years ago, and this was a re-read.
• Serena by Ron Rash - Checked out from the library after I saw it on the Amazon Significant Seven and friend insisted I read it.
• The Shanghai Moon by S. J. Rozan - Received unsolicited from the publisher, though I had agreed to review books they send me.
• Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton and Erin Torneo – Agreed to review after publicist queried me.
• Rape: A Love Store by Joyce Carol Oates - Checked out from library after a friend mentioned the book.
• Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - Got off Bookmooch after reading a review on Lisa’s blog.
• The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje - Checked out from the library because it was a book club pick.
• Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson – Checked out from library after reading great reviews on various blogs.
• Water Ghosts by Shawna Yang Ryan - Received from publisher after they Twittered about it. I requested the book.
• The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - Received this book as part of a blog tour.
• No One You Know by Michelle Richmond - I bought this book after seeing the author on a panel.
• The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams - Received this book after being queried by publisher.
• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson - I checked this book out from the library after reading great reviews on various blogs.
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - I flew from California to New York, waited in line at 5:30am in order to get a ticket just so I could get the book.
• The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson - I checked this book out from the library in order to be a judge in a bracket competition.
• Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers - I checked this book out from the library in order to be a judge in a bracket competition.
• Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea - Received this book from the publisher for an online book club I participate in.
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer - Received this book as part of a blog tour.
• The Reader by Bernard Schlink – I got this book from Bookmooch after reading great reviews on various blogs.
• The Purloined Boy by Mortimus Clay - Received this book to read before I put together the blog tour.
• Afraid by Jack Hilborn - Purchased this book for my Kindle on Jenn’s recommendation.
• Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy - Received this book unsolicited and probably wouldn’t have read it had it not been chosen for my book club.
• After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr - Received this book from the author to see if it would be appropriate for a blog tour.
• Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - I checked this book out from the library after reading great reviews on various blogs.
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – I checked this book out from the library after reading great reviews on various blogs.
• Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith - I bought this book when I was at a book signing but already owned the book by the featured author.

This breaks down thusly:

2 – previously owned
16 – library
2 – borrowed
4 – requested
3 – bookmooch
9 – unsolicited
2 – blog tours
2 – won
4 – purchased

So basically I’m getting 29% of my books from publishers/authors, whether solicited or unsolicited. The other 71% are acquired by other means. These stats are very similar to last year, the only difference being that this year I’ve taken advantage of my library, whereas last year I bought a lot more books.

I don’t think that not receiving free books would change my blog AT ALL. I obviously review both older and newer books, from uber popular books to books that have gotten lost in the shuffle. But as far as whether I would still review new releases, there’s a couple of cool things in the book world, one called a library, the other called a bookstore, where I can borrow or buy pretty much any book I want. So I could borrow or buy any new and trendy book I want! *gasp* I know, this is crazy talk! And any blogger who enjoys reading the hot new releases (of which there is NOTHING WRONG WITH), they could do the same!

I say this because I’ve noticed an underlying condescension towards those who review new and trendy books. Perhaps it’s because those who review new and trendy books are considered “cool and popular” (obviously they are cool and popular because, duh, they’re getting the cool new books), and while I don’t want to get back into that whole conversation, I don’t know why it matters what another blogger reviews. In fact, I don’t know where I would be without the bloggers reviewing the new books! How else am I supposed to find the gems among the glut of books being released?

What’s my point? Heck, I don’t even know if I had any one point. I think it’s interesting to see where my books came from, but I don’t think it indicates how ethical I am. How ethical someone is on their blog doesn’t come from how many books they review that they got for free, rather, it comes from how honest they are in their reviews. Honesty is not dependent on whether you paid for a book or not…or at least, it shouldn’t be.

Yesterday I posted my review of Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks. I didn’t get too much into specifics about the book; I was purposely vague as I didn’t want to get into any discussions regarding Islam. I am no expert on Islam, and frankly it’s not something I stay awake at night thinking about.

But I did receive a comment, which I left as is, that made some statements I thought merited correcting. However, I felt these corrections deserved more than editing the actual post, and while writing this particular post is probably overboard, what can I say? I’m feisty.

Here’s the comment:

I’m always astonished at the amount of knowledge you guys”really” have in the west concerning Arab women, hijjab and lifestyle.

This is like the new rave- let’s pick anything related to Afghanistan or the Arab world, Muslim women, oppression & pain and you’ve got yourself a best-seller.

Ironically when “we” pick these books up and read them we’re shocked just as much as you are. Last time I checked, I’m not genitally mutilated, neither oppressed nor forced to put a hijjab on my head.

We’re living life like normal people, waking up in the morning, order take-out coffee/tea, we hook up bluetooth hands-free in our cars (yes shocking not camels), we arrive at work, laugh with our colleagues, get paid and buy ipods then go back home and watch TV.

You want to “LEARN” about Arab women and how they function successfully in their societies, ask real arab women not rely solely on what’s written in some book or movie based on some rural muslim community that’s none-existent now adays but catchy enough to be turned into a book or a movie.

*and I’m talking about Arab women living in the Middle East not in your countries just to make things clear.

First of all, I never said *you* were genitally mutilated. The AUTHOR doesn’t even say all Muslims are genitally mutilated. In fact, she addresses this by saying, “Because some Christians and animists also practice genital mutilation, many Muslims resent the way it is linked most closely with their own faith. But one in five Muslim girls lives today in a community that sanctions some sort of interference with her genitals….While some Muslims protest the limkage of mutilation with their faith, few religious figures speak out against the practice, and numerous Islamic texts still advocate it….It is understandable that progressive Muslims hate to see their faith associated with these practices. But what is less understandable is the way they turn their wrath on the commentators criticising the practices, and not on the crimes themselves.”

I never said Muslim women were oppressed or forced to put a hijab on their head. In fact, what I said was, “Ms. Brooks attempt[s] to understand why Muslim women take up the hijab and how the culture has slowly been eroding women’s rights, rather than furthering them.” Ms. Brooks was clear that wearing hijab is a choice. In fact, many women who start off not wearing the hijab eventually decide on their own that they want to wear it. Let me make it clear: I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU DECIDE TO DO.

Next, Ms. Brooks did not base her research on what you claim is “based on some rural muslim community that’s non-existent nowadays but catchy enough to be turned into a book.” In fact, I can only think of ONE INSTANCE IN THE WHOLE BOOK that she was out in the country. Normally, she was in bustling cities talking to, not only average women, but quite extraordinatory women, such as Queen Noor.

Finally, Ms. Brooks spends quite a bit of time looking at women’s rights. And Islam HAS been, as I said, “slowly been eroding women’s rights, rather than furthering them.” Ms. Brooks notes this towards the end of the book:

Once I began working on this book, I looked everywhere for examples of women trying to reclaim Islam’s positive messages, trying to carry forward into the twentieth century the reformist zeal with which Muhammad had remade the lives of many women (other than his own wives and the Muslim army’s war captives) in the first Muslim community at Medina. It turned out to be a frustrating search. In most places the direction of the debate seemed to be exaclty the reverse. Palestinian, Egyptian, Algerian and Afghani women were seeing a curtain come down on decades of women’s liberation as Islamic leaders in their countries turned to the most exclusionary and inequitable interpretations. For those women who struggeled against the tide, the results were a discouraging trio of marginalization, harassment and exile.

Finally, I’d like to note that this commenter didn’t leave their real name, instead, ironically they called themselves “Ignorance”. And yes, an email was given, but I doubt the email is real. Does this kind of comment deserve the time I’ve put into rebutting it? Probably not. But I reserve the right to post a dumb comment so I can point and laugh…and this, in essence, is what I’ve done here. Maybe I’m not laughing, but I’m sure I will be in a few days.

I’m pretty sure I’d heard of this article before I read about it on Kim’s blog, but Kim made me sit up and take notice. The article I’m referencing is the column on The Huffington Post by Lissa Warren entitled Will Blogs Save Books? I take issue with quite a few things she states and would like to rebutt them here, as comments are closed on her article.

As there are SO MANY things I disagree with, I will paste her column here and add in my comments.