A while ago I posted an outraged rant about the excellent Virago Modern Classics 30th Birthday Hardbacks.
But they are lovely and everything? "Why the outrage?" I hear you sigh.
Well they were EXCLUSIVE weren't they...To Waterstoners...
When is exclusive not exclusive? When it's a Waterstoners exclusive dummy!
Fab News!
WE CAN SELL THEM AND WILL HAVE THEM ALL FROM NEXT WEEK!
* * * *
Now the "serious" bit - my 2p worth.
Waterstones sold all the stock they had very quickly. Hatchards had 20 of each and sold them all, re-ordered and sold them all again. These are (whisper it) Hardback books we are talking about. Not only Hardback they are "Classics". You mean people went out, in these crunching times, and bought Hardback books? When they were all available in paperback? When they could have bought them cheaper? WHY!
Have you been shopping recently? There are savage sales everywhere - 75% off. Nobody is buying stuff. But they bought these Virago classics? WHY!
Because they are great books. They are £10. And that's a bargain. All of a sudden that Primark top with the sequins stitched on by little children reeks of what it is - devilish crud. But good books are good books are good books.
Dare I say it - Books are worth paying for...
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Recession typically makes people re-evaluate - i.e. rediscover what real value is. It's like when you select a very fine whisky and you drink less of it, but the experience is heightened...
ReplyDeleteBTW, there was an interesting observation in yesterday's widely reported 'doom and gloom' story about M&S. People are driving less to out-of-town shopping centres with the rising price of fuel. Shock horror. You mean people can rediscover some of the great little shops on their own doorstep, just a healthy, low-carbon walk away???
So where do we go for the Viragos amigos?
Sounds, to cynical old me, like they didn't sell well so Waterstone's have sent them back and Virago are announcing a great new opportunity for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteHector - you old cynic! You may be right...
ReplyDeleteWe just had a look and there's nothing inside to say they were reprinted.
Cripes. The booktrade is DOOMED I tell you DOOMED.
No! We're SAVED I tell you SAVED!
ReplyDeleteThose were obviously the less popular ones...About half thge titles have reprinted!
Cynic!
Hah!
We're saved!