Sherman Alexie still hates ebooks

Nate the great · 12-02-2009, 02:44 PM

He was on The Colbert Report last night (a late night satirical talk show on Comedy Central). He wasn't as inflammatory as when he wanted to punch you in the face. This time around he was merely misinformed and paranoid.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...sherman-alexie

*****
He signed my Kindle a couple months back at Fall for the Book. I'm really beginning to regret having asked.

kennyc · 12-02-2009, 03:06 PM

He's a wild indian!

=X= · 12-02-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

He's a wild indian!

Hey Coblet clearly said they prefer to be called Native Americans.

Hey thy guy is talking about the importance of promoting books locally, while he's on national TV promoting his book...

Although I give the guy some props he does have an infections quality. I felt myself having the desire to punch him in the face.
=X=

RCR · 12-02-2009, 03:27 PM

Ugh...what an interview! There were so many things wrong with Alexie's arguments, you could write a whole ebook about them. I wonder if he believes what he says or is just playing the role of Luddite for the publicity.

Colbert made one quip, meant to be anti ebook: "You can't burn a Kindle". But I think that is one of the great things about the new technology - books can no longer be destroyed or suppressed. Once an ebook is on the internet, it will multiply into many copies and be archived on computers all over the world. No government or lawyer will be able to 'burn' it.

I am sure Alexie's books will appear on the internet as ebooks - whether he wants them to or not. Long after he is gone and forgotten and his paper books are out of print and unavailable, electronic versions will be scattered around the world, never to become extinct.

kennyc · 12-02-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by =X=

Hey Coblet clearly said they prefer to be called Native Americans.

Hey thy guy is talking about the importance of promoting books locally, while he's on national TV promoting his book...

Although I give the guy some props he does have an infections quality. I felt myself having the desire to punch him in the face.
=X=

Hee-hee. The first time I saw him was at a book fair here in Denver and he was doing one of his "presentations" -- unlike other authors who read from their books, he does (or did then at least) full-blown in-character readings from memory with voices, dialect etc. almost like a mini-one-person-play. I was totally enthralled by it and have read most of his work. I must say though he's definitely got a streak in him that rubs me the wrong way no matter how much I like his writing.

kindlekitten · 12-02-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR

I am sure Alexie's books will appear on the internet as ebooks - whether he wants them to or not. Long after he is gone and forgotten and his paper books are out of print and unavailable, electronic versions will be scattered around the world, never to become extinct.

especially since he is required reading in a lot of college classes now

kennyc · 12-02-2009, 03:40 PM

Yeah, from the interview he seems very clingy. Wants to keep the status quo. Things will change whether he or we or anyone wants them to or not.

rhadin · 12-02-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR

But I think that is one of the great things about the new technology - books can no longer be destroyed or suppressed. Once an ebook is on the internet, it will multiply into many copies and be archived on computers all over the world. No government or lawyer will be able to 'burn' it.

Sounds just like the argument publishers and authors make in favor of strong DRM.

meraxes · 12-02-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

Sounds just like the argument publishers and authors make in favor of strong DRM.

Now if only someone could get these publishers and authors in the same room with music industry bosses (who would no doubt have a choice few things to say about DRM).

kennyc · 12-02-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meraxes

Now if only someone could get these publishers and authors in the same room with music industry bosses (who would no doubt have a choice few things to say about DRM).

but.....but......but.......aren't they the same people?

meraxes · 12-02-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

but.....but......but.......aren't they the same people?

no, but they have all made the same mistake. some of them have already paid for it. other will soon learn that if you ignore reality, it comes back and bites you on the bum

kennyc · 12-02-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meraxes

no, but they have all made the same mistake. some of them have already paid for it. other will soon learn that if you ignore reality, it comes back and bites you on the bum

It was a joke.

Crowl · 12-02-2009, 04:49 PM

I had never heard of this guy before, but he seemed liked such a complete and utter paranoid idiot in that interview, getting so much stuff wrong or maybe just making shit up.

Just taking the last part of the interview he made a point about local bookstores that are supposedly closing due to ebooks when the reality is that those that closed were due to chains undercutting them and from the likes of amazon selling cheaper online even before ebooks came to prominence.

meraxes · 12-02-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowl

Just taking the last part of the interview he made a point about local bookstores that are supposedly closing due to ebooks when the reality is that those that closed were due to chains undercutting them and from the likes of amazon selling cheaper online even before ebooks came to prominence.

Why do the research, check your facts and actually argue your case if you can simply blather on about ebooks being the death of the book as we know it. I wish someone actually held a proper debate where these morons could be challenged by someone who knows what he's talking about.

meraxes · 12-02-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

It was a joke.

Yes, Kenny. It was hilarious. I'm sure you know that B&N and EMI don't have the same boss, never fear.

12-02-2009, 02:44 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Sherman Alexie still hates ebooks He was on The Colbert Report last night (a late night satirical talk show on Comedy Central). He wasn't as inflammatory as when he wanted to punch you in the face. This time around he was merely misinformed and paranoid. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...sherman-alexie ***** He signed my Kindle a couple months back at Fall for the Book. I'm really beginning to regret having asked. Last edited by Nate the great; 12-02-2009 at 02:48 PM.

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12-02-2009, 03:06 PM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	He's a wild indian!

12-02-2009, 03:27 PM	#4
RCR Addict Posts: 334 Karma: 992487 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: 2 x Sony 505, iPad, Samsung 7 Tablet, ASUS Transformer, Nexus 7	Ugh...what an interview! There were so many things wrong with Alexie's arguments, you could write a whole ebook about them. I wonder if he believes what he says or is just playing the role of Luddite for the publicity. Colbert made one quip, meant to be anti ebook: "You can't burn a Kindle". But I think that is one of the great things about the new technology - books can no longer be destroyed or suppressed. Once an ebook is on the internet, it will multiply into many copies and be archived on computers all over the world. No government or lawyer will be able to 'burn' it. I am sure Alexie's books will appear on the internet as ebooks - whether he wants them to or not. Long after he is gone and forgotten and his paper books are out of print and unavailable, electronic versions will be scattered around the world, never to become extinct.

12-02-2009, 03:40 PM	#7
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Yeah, from the interview he seems very clingy. Wants to keep the status quo. Things will change whether he or we or anyone wants them to or not.

12-02-2009, 04:49 PM	#13
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	I had never heard of this guy before, but he seemed liked such a complete and utter paranoid idiot in that interview, getting so much stuff wrong or maybe just making shit up. Just taking the last part of the interview he made a point about local bookstores that are supposedly closing due to ebooks when the reality is that those that closed were due to chains undercutting them and from the likes of amazon selling cheaper online even before ebooks came to prominence.