I did not know that about Chabon's wife. Though I'll bet he's a genuine pro-genreist and not simply nepotistic based on his own experimentings in genre and how he infuses genreisms into his "pure" literary work...though I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Hey, I meant to ask you a favor earlier...I'm inviting all my friends here to a thread I began in the group BookListers Unite!, The Greatest Short Story Collections of All Time. I've been tired for awhile at how many top 100s the novel has generated over the past decade in various publications while those same publications have almost completely ignored the short story form, so I started my own list, but at the time I began, could only think of 58 volumes right off the top of my head. I would be delighted if you could add your voluminous booksellers input to the thread and we could get the number of collections closer to 100.

Gracias

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 1:16 pm (EST) den Aug 22, 2008

Michael Chabon is a big defender of genre writers. Funny, I can read a genre work extremely fast, but not something like Gravity's Rainbow. Did you read GR at breakneck speed too? I could barely manage 25 pages a day.

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 8:49 pm (EST) den Aug 21, 2008

Ah yes, I'm am now over the Rainbow (see 3rd paragraph of profile page for more info), though I'm currently undergoing treatment for what I'd call the book bends (I write you presently from my decompynchon chamber). Part of my treatment is reading slim volumes instead of encylopedic tomes. I've just completed The Diezmo by Rick Bass, and it's helped in my recovery. If you liked Blood Meridian, I don't see how you wouldn't enjoy The Diezmo.

What are you reading now?

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 10:44 pm (EST) den Aug 14, 2008

Ola Becky,

No work at used musty/dusty bookstore? Eats okay. I use the Borders 30% off coupon (w/purchase of $10 or more) frequently. In fact, I just got e-mailed a 40% off of anything coupon today I can use either tomorrow or Wed. One time I stick up for young lady manager here at Chino Borders being harassed by uncouth con artist who said no matter what he try or do, he can never get the Border points. See, he say he teacher but no have access to computer...lying pendejo! He went on and on, rudely, loudly, intimidatingly, until, finally, enriquefreeque 'bout to blow his top, so he boldly step up to stewpeed teacher and call the Border's argumentative patron a mow-ron, say that young lady manager been nothing but polite & patient wi'chu, you mow-ron, so either make purchase or leave before enriquefreeque [all 6'5", 250 lbs of her (I mean him)] make you leave...told heem he better get lost before freeque call the police, or, maybe freeque call police not good idea since visa almost expire?

freeque want to be your amigo...freeque friends here with real published author...now he want to be amigos with real Borders manager.

(I don't know why I was, at times, writing with bad accent)

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 9:45 pm (EST) den Aug 4, 2008

Hi Becky,

Just wondering if you happened to read in the LA Times today that bit on the closing of Acres of Books in Long Beach. I'm so bummed. I knew it was closing, but still....My mom bought books there for college back in the late 50s, it's just always been there, taken it for granted for so long. I've found books there that I could never find anywhere else, like the first edition of Darconville's Cat, etc., ad infinitum....

Anyway, I mentioned Acres because I know you're a bookseller & could comisserate You're living my dream job btw. Do you own your own store? Yeah, I know, the pay's probably not the greatest, like you say, but all those out-of-prints, first editions, rare finds, books you'd never even heard of but had to have once you saw them...oh man, I'll stop now.

Adios, "Lola" I

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 5:04 pm (EST) den Aug 3, 2008

Hello,

I didn't even feel it. I had just been in the 19th floor of a building in El Segundo, and was heading south on the 405, listening to the Jim Rome show, and he interrupted an interview to say "whoaa, we're having an earthquake," but I honestly didn't notice a thing. Everyone in Chino made out okay thankfully...Brea & Yorba Linda, sounds like, got the worst of it. Glad to hear you're okay. I'm wondering how Acres of Books in Long Beach did, their store (as you may know) is closing and their 12 foot high shelves aren't quite packed as tight anymore...glad I wasn't in those aisles.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to the Rainbow.

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 11:51 am (EST) den Jul 30, 2008

Just wanted to say hello, since we're both socals.

postet av EnriqueFreeque kl. 12:55 am (EST) den Jul 28, 2008

Hi Becky. Oh, I will definitely make a point of coming in to your store to sign books if ever I'm in LA! Hopefully I'll get down there in the fall as the movie for Year of Fog moves along (knock on wood). It would be lovely to meet you--and yes, there's no better enticement than knowing that you would have a nice stack of my book there!

The author chat is here.
http://www.librarything.com/author/richm...

postet av michrichmond kl. 12:58 pm (EST) den Jul 9, 2008