Friday, October 5, 2007

More Pics of Books on Shelves (and other stuff)

The redoubtable Roger Morris just e-mailed me this picture from the Borders at Charing Cross. (Well, I don't think he probably e-mailed it from there. Probably he took the picture at Borders but e-mailed it from somewhere else. You writers are so picky.)


Roger said that it was face-out and a fair pile, both of which seem like a good thing. At least, if the pile shrinks over time...

Another friend--not a writer (and not much of a reader, either, when you get down to it) claims to have seen it at Gatwick when connecting from Geneva to the US. I guess this is feasible--I seem to remember a Waterstones there.

Over on another site, someone referred to these sorts of pictures as "writer's porn". Okay, I'm willing to admit it--it's gratuitous, it appeals to prurient interests, and has no obvious redeeming social value. To those of us who write, it still looks nice.

It occurs to me that it's LC Tyler's pub date for The Herring-Seller's Apprentice, a book I'm looking forward to reading. Best of luck to Len and MNW on the launch.

(Yes, prurient--in the sense of arousing an immoderate desire. I wouldn't go so far as to label it an unwholesome desire, but immoderate? Sure.)

8 comments:

Janet said...

:o) This kind of porn I can handle. Hope you're enjoying the thrill.

Jake Jesson said...

It is indeed writer's porn. However, I don't see what's so wrong about porn in the first place, besides the major social issues associated with it... but I'm talking inherently wrong, here.

"Redeeming social value" seems to me to be an option, not a requirement.

David Isaak said...

Hi, Janet--

Yes, it's mighty pretty a-sittin' there...!

David Isaak said...

Hi, Jake-ola

As I understand it, the word "pornography" literally means "the writing of prostitutes," which seems to argue for a higher level of education among streetwalkers in ancient Rome.

I know any number of writers who do pro bono work tyring to encourage writing among "at risk" or imprisoned youth. Perhaps they ought to be promoting Pornos Graphia?

Tim Stretton said...

There are still two copies of S&A in Chichester Waterstones - although it's unclear if they are still the same two. I surreptitiously rearranged the display so that you are facing out. I figured John Irving doesn't really need the royalties or the exposure.

There were six copies of The Herring Seller's Apprentice (a local writer, so a bigger presence). Interestingly his book is shelved with crime novels, yours in general fiction.

David Isaak said...

Hi, Tim--

General fiction isn't where I would have expected to be shelved, but I'm happy to be there.

(In my innermost heart, of course, I think S&A ought to be shelved in every section. Crime. Literature. Romance. Self-help. Religious/Inspirational. Cookery...

David Thayer said...

I like the photos of SHOCK AND AWE
in Charing Cross and wholeheartedly endorse their publication here. It's like the kids are visiting London and sent postcards which, by the way, they do not.

David Isaak said...

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!

On the other hand, given the current relationship between the pound and the dollar, it probably makes more sense to bring the postcards home and hand them out than mail them.