Logistics sounded troublesome and expensive, so I packed a few piles of ephemera into a big suitcase, padded it with my week’s worth of clothing, and headed out to Oakland,CA, where this year’s Rare Book & Manuscript Librarian’s Conference was being held. Last time I spent any serious time in Oakland, Panthers roamed the streets. […] More >>
Archives for June 2015
Thou Canst Never Return
Back in the late 90s (the earliest the Wayback Machine can find is 1999, but I know it was earlier than that), my computer guy – a bearded Harley freak named Doc – was fixing me up with a brand new laptop. “You’ll want a big enough screen so you can work on your website […] More >>
A Dog’s Life
(l-r: beets, chard, eggplant, beans, carrots, snow peas) Haven’t sold a book in a week, but my cash flow is holding steady. (Bookselling Tip #56 – When no money comes in, don’t pay the bills). My gardens are looking pretty good, and I feel like I might be getting a start on a proposal for […] More >>
My Bold Plan and its Daring Execution
You may recall, from a few blog entries ago, my hypothesis that profits in the book trade are the result of occasional “big hits,” and that the secret of success in this difficult business lies in finding ways of keeping cash flowing between big hits. Just to show you that I’m putting my money where […] More >>