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It's a bit strange though, paradoxical even. Someone publishes a book independently, because posh french publishers didn't think the book would sell. Now that A
by dschuetz 8y ago
It's a bit strange though, paradoxical even. Someone publishes a book independently, because posh french publishers didn't think the book would sell. Now that Amazon is involved and being the only way to obtain the book the bookstore owners refuse to... what exactly? Acknowledge it as a book they cannot put on a shelf? But, no! It's not about the book anymore! It's all about defending bookstore owners from Amazon and publishers who refuse to publish books.
Also, the issue that it's available exclusively via Amazon is mind-boggling to me. Perhaps it's one of Amazon's exploitative terms and conditions? Or perhaps the author's vindictive reaction?
The only person that did everything right in this whole mess is the author who self-published a good book. Everyone else has lost their minds.
- greenshackle2 8y agoThe bookstore syndicate's press release is addressed to the Renaudot Prize jury. They are explicitly trying to convince the jury to not vote for Koskas' book, not because of its literary merits (or lack thereof), but just because it is published by Amazon. After Koskas was passed over by publishers and so took the reasonable step of self-publishing, the bookstores are now trying to throw him under the bus, blatantly in the pursuit of their own self-interest, because the Renaudot Prize winner will likely sell well, so they don't want a book they can't sell to win.
- nraynaud 8y agoWhat is interesting is that the publishers are some kind of old school obstacle, Amazon comes on a white horse with the promise of avoiding any obstacle, then they corner the market and become the obstacle themselves. Somehow there is no way out, there is always some kind of Lord deciding for the plebeians, they always come as the new meritocracy, and they always end up creating a caste system.
- Nasrudith 8y agoPublishing is an incredibly open field really. Anyone can publish anything with vanity presses, printing, and others. You can find any sort of fringe for bizarre and/or abhorrent publisher out there and make your own if needed. If you want to accuse say the Canadian Green Party of secretly being space lobsters from Mercury out to eat our pancreases nobody can stop you and you might find a following from people wondering what on earth you are talking about. Being big just helps with margin per book and marketing. Not trivial but they aren't the final obstacle.
- JumpCrisscross 8y agoIt’s deeply alarming that absent Amazon, French publishers would have been able to censor a politically-sensitive book.
- josteink 8y ago> The only person that did everything right in this whole mess is the author who self-published a good book. Everyone else has lost their minds. Never underestimate the entitlement of a well established hegemony.
- stubish 8y agoI don't know if it is different in Europe, but books published by Create Space US are available for order world wide through the same distribution channels as book stores use for all their other stock. IIRC all that is needed is a real ISBN number and a fee to get listed, which IIRC was together <$50. If book stores don't stock it then it is by choice.