Ursula K. Le Guin: “I keep Asking You Not to Buy Books from Amazon”

[conan50]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

conan50 wrote that "People like her bemoaned the mass publication of paperback books in exactly the same way."

Orwell didn't tell people not to buy paperbacks. So it wasn't anywhere close to "exactly the same way."

And even though Orwell claimed to be a socialist, I think literary merit was his real concern, rather than that being a smoke-screen for a dislike of big business, as in the Le Guin case.

However, maybe my challenge to come up with names who met the conan50 criteria was unfair. History rarely repeats itself in "exactly the same way," and it's not a terrible crime that conan50 engaged in a bit of overstatement.

Paperbacks were attacked more by publishers than authors. With Amazon, the attacks are broader. Also, early paperbacks were mass market books aimed at low-income readers, whereas the need to purchase a Kindle or other eReader, or own a tablet, means that eBooks skew to a higher demographic.

"people like her" meaning those invested in the status quo reacted much the same way, that was my point. There are always those who will defend the making of "buggy whips" in the face of change.
I think ebooks have in the past skewed to a higher demographic, as you say, but that is quickly changing. It begins to make little economic sense now to buy many print books when you can pick up one device, an inexpensive tablet for instance, and have access to many thousands of free ebooks, either via a library or like Project Gutenberg.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tompe

Of course it is also a craft. You have to be a good craftsman to be able to reach the next step which might be art (or something similar).

If you only look at it as a craft you have no reason to write better if your current level give you maximum income.

Look at LeGuin's bibliography. Her best books are 40-50 years old. How much attention have her 21st Century books gotten her?
Her art hasn't gotten much better over the decades.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Look at LeGuin's bibliography. Her best books are 40-50 years old. How much attention have her 21st Century books gotten her?
Her art hasn't gotten much better over the decades.

Tehanu 1990 is a superior book for example. So of course the writing have become better.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That may be true for people living in the U.S, UK or other big western countries, where cheap paperbacks are readily available. Where I live, paper books are expensive. Used books in English are almost nonexistent. There are very few English fiction books in local libraries. Buying paperbacks via Amazon or used book marketplaces is expensive too (shipping them here costs often more than the book itself). E-books, OTOH, are cheap compared to paper books (no shipping involved). So, even though I don't certainly have a high income, I managed to purchase a couple of cheapest Kindles available and have been reading e-books almost exclusively for the last four years. And have saved lots of money doing this.

I doubt I'm in a unique position regarding e-books. What I described is probably true for most small non-English-speaking countries. Of course, many people (especially older people) in those countries don't read in English or other foreign languages at all, but for those that do, e-books are truly a blessing.

I live with the same situation. Paper books are very expensive in my country, a small state where though English is not commonly spoken, it is our official language.

[Cinisajoy]

I am an odd demographic. I am not rich by any means. My kindles were all bought used. I do tend to do more of the on sale ebooks or free.
Now on paper books, I have bought exactly 2 new hardbacks. One was a cookbook and the other one will have 3 readers. My parents and me.
I tend to buy my paper books at thrift stores and flea markets. I live in west Texas.

[emmabee]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That may be true for people living in the U.S, UK or other big western countries, where cheap paperbacks are readily available. Where I live, paper books are expensive. Used books in English are almost nonexistent. There are very few English fiction books in local libraries. Buying paperbacks via Amazon or used book marketplaces is expensive too (shipping them here costs often more than the book itself). E-books, OTOH, are cheap compared to paper books (no shipping involved). So, even though I don't certainly have a high income, I managed to purchase a couple of cheapest Kindles available and have been reading e-books almost exclusively for the last four years. And have saved lots of money doing this.

I doubt I'm in a unique position regarding e-books. What I described is probably true for most small non-English-speaking countries. Of course, many people (especially older people) in those countries don't read in English or other foreign languages at all, but for those that do, e-books are truly a blessing.

Out of curiosity where do you chaps buy English ebooks from? Can you use one of the EU based Amazons?
You can buy physical items from any Amazon you want but ebook laws & costs are not standardised in the EU yet so it's tricky. I want to buy ebooks from Amazon.de but legally I am not allowed. I often wondered what people in the smaller EU countries did

Amazon.de
Amazon.es
Amazon.it
Amazon.fr
Amazon.nl
Amazon.co.uk

[Sirtel]

In Estonia we have to buy e-books from Amazon.com, cannot use any of the others.
Of course we can buy from Google, Kobo etc as well. Not B&N, though.

[emmabee]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

In Estonia we have to buy e-books from Amazon.com, cannot use any of the others.
Of course we can buy from Google, Kobo etc as well. Not B&N, though.

That's sucky. It's an area where I really wish the EU would pull its finger out & come to an agreement.

[Apache]

I am in America and I buy mine from Amazon UK.
Apache

[tompe]

In Sweden it is amazon.com which probably is a good thing if you only buy English books. I am worried if amazon Sweden opens and we will get a smaller selection of books to buy.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Apache

I am in America and I buy mine from Amazon UK.
Apache

If you mean using VPN, then yes, that's possible. But I'm a lazy person and usually it's too much bother.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

If you mean using VPN, then yes, that's possible. But I'm a lazy person and usually it's too much bother.

You can buy simultaneously from both Amazon US and Amazon UK, while remaining logged into both. I do so all the time from Australia for free ebooks pointed to buy these forums. Without a VPN.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by murg

You can buy simultaneously from both Amazon US and Amazon UK, while remaining logged into both. I do so all the time from Australia for free ebooks pointed to buy these forums. Without a VPN.

I cannot buy from Amazon UK without a VPN. They detect my IP address and don't sell me. Perhaps if I changed my country, they would (haven't tried it), but didn't they close someone's account once who did just that? They'd notice eventually my registered country and IP address don't match.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I cannot buy from Amazon UK without a VPN. They detect my IP address and don't sell me. Perhaps if I changed my country, they would (haven't tried it), but didn't they close someone's account once who did just that? They'd notice eventually my registered country and IP address don't match.

I was wondering about that. I want to buy The Town That Forgot How to Breathe, but it's only available as an e-book through Amazon UK and I doubted I'd be able to log in from the US and do so. Strange, since the author is Canadian, yet the e-book isn't available from Amazon.ca (or wasn't last time I checked).

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I am an odd demographic. I am not rich by any means. My kindles were all bought used. I do tend to do more of the on sale ebooks or free.
Now on paper books, I have bought exactly 2 new hardbacks. One was a cookbook and the other one will have 3 readers. My parents and me.
I tend to buy my paper books at thrift stores and flea markets. I live in west Texas.

I don't think that is particularly odd...