Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Overwealming Choices


I had some time to burn waiting to pick up the wife from work and spent it at the nearby Books-a-Million. Good Bob, I think they have a hell of a lot more than a million books in that store. In my youth, when bookstores were much smaller, it was so much easier to find something of interest. The number of publishers and authors were no where near as numerous as they are now. Now, the choices have become overwhelming, and I can't seem to see one tree for the forest.

Had I even the spare mollah to blow on a good book, where to begin? Well, you narrow it down according to interests. Problem is, I have plenty of interests. Fiction or non-fiction? I've always been a rabid sci-fi fan. OK then, I wonder over to fiction area, encompassing at least half the store. Narrow that down to science fiction......still three or four aisle. To much. How about genre; you have fantasy, space, horror, you name it. I'm really having a hard time now. How about familiar authors? Much to my horror, most of them seem to have been overshadowed by all the new ones I never heard of. Well, the cover art sometimes helps. Christ.......it's ALL good! How about a series? No help there; I never saw so many damn series before!

The hell with it. Maybe come payday I spring for the latest Stephen King. I trust him to make my hard earned money well spent.

12 comments:

Time said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Alex Pendragon said...

Tim, you commented on the wrong post. Tim, please read my posts while sober. You are confusing the rest of the drunkards.

Naughti Biscotti said...

I'm so glad you bought my book. Open it up... it smells wonderful.

I loved that photo. It spoke to me on so many levels.

Time said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Time said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Paul said...

I'm looking forward to getting old so I'll have more time to read -- if I can stay awake.

Buffalo said...

Somewhere close to your residence, Michael my friend, is a strange and wonderous building - it may even have a couple of stone lions sitting in front of it. It is called a library. You are allowed to go inside, select numerous books and take them home with you to read - all for free. You do need to bring them back in a timely fashion and in good shape.

And the Past Recedes... said...

Yea I know what you mean. I do have to say that I find the best books by just wandering around the library or book store and check out or buy ones that just jump out at me.

Alex Pendragon said...

No. 1: The library is WAY out of my way. No. 2: I hate to be under a return deadline and never seem to get it back in time. No. 3: I am loath to return a good book. No. 4: These cheap county libraries here in the south are lucky to have books much less stone lions.

However, as usual, you make a valid point.

And the Past Recedes... said...

Ah, but you also bring up a good point. These are the reasons that I'm probably on the libraries speed dial...I never bring books back on time.

Buffalo said...

I love all the excuses, not reasons, to keep from reading.

Paul said...

Flagstaff is fortunate to have a "Bookmans". Buy and sell used books. Oddly, I've bought books for $3, read them and sold them back to Bookmans for $3. I don't understand the economics of this but, I wasn't buying and selling economics books. A great store -- books, coffee shop, free internet, live bands occasionally -- generally folk music.