Mo. Man Burns Books As Act of Protest

You just proved his point, you're supposed to be pissed. And with the press that his protest has gotten, now people that want the books will seek this guy out, just like Mike Bechtel.

It's a good protest and PR move for his store.

yea if you can get to him before he burns the whole damn store down. It's ridiculous.

And Yea, I'M pissed but do you really think this is going to have any effect on those who don't read? This guy is upset that more people aren't reading these days, so he burns books so that those who do like to read wont be able to. And that is logical to you?

Phaedrus, you said it so well...here's a guy who SAYS people aren't reading, and to prove it, he invokes the libraries and thrift shops that are just too full of USED books to take more; wouldn't that suggest many people are reading and giving away their used books? Plus he was angered that thrift shops couldn't take any b/c they were full, and yet HE won't keep them in HIS shop b/c HE doesn't want to be too full.

I think people are reading; everywhere you go you see people with books in hand; on the beach, on public transportation, at lunch in the office, on park benches. This guy is just a crank. How about going to old folks' homes and wheeling a cart to see if they want anything?

This is crazy, and this guy just did not try hard enough to find people who wanted them, he could have sold the books on ebay or anything

I don't think that was the point. I imagine that, after trying to give them to a library, he chose to protest rather then sell them on ebay because he saw the downward trend of society more clearly. Im sure he was aware that ebay does exist, but his point changed from just wanting the books gone, to wanting people to be aware of his message (that written word has lost its value).

Oh, please.

No one in the right mind burns books, he could take it even for recycle.

The silver lining is that he did not burn the building.

Many places are lack of books like hospitals for cancer for the relatives that have to stay for a long period of time and also churches.

Many places are lack of books like hospitals for cancer for the relatives that have to stay for a long period of time and also churches.

I don't think this guy is some heartless man who burns books to spite the cancer-ridden and religious. It seems more that he is burning the books to cause outrage, and to cause people to stand up and say "what the f*** do you think you are doing?". Why? maybe to prove to himself and everyone else that books matter and that there are people who care. You could say that he did not need to go to such an extreme to get his point across, but I am pretty sure just recycling the books wouldn't have gauged the same reaction.

I'm guessing this guy is not burning books to spite the cancer-ridden or religious.

In short, (cuz I already wrote this comment, and it got deleted =Z ) it seems he wanted a reaction to prove himself wrong. To prove that society does care. Recycling would not have had the same effect.

I think as long as long as this many people are outraged at his action, we're a long way from 451.

Yeah true but then he woudn't have gotten much pr, hiring one of those big trucks that have those massive portable shredders in them is less of a visual.

I think you just invented a new appropriate term - 'publi@!$%#y'.

There's a difference between burning books to destroy information and burning books to invoke people's reaction at that reference.

They may have been really junky, awful books anyway...like 25 year old best-sellers or romance novels. Contact him and take away his 20,000 remaining which will be burned soon...if you like that kind of book and feel bad, take them all...he'll be happy.

lol, i was thinking the same thing.

It's not like the publishing industry is trying, but no segment of the market has yet been successful with any kind of e-book and most publishers are really racking their brains to find a way to continue on, whether or not books are still in print or not.

What do publishers have to do with it? Publishers are fast becoming obsolete. If books are no longer sent to print, then the authors are the publishers.

One thing we will have to get through is the copyright protection. Digital books will go through the same DRM routine initially that music has been through.

The technology is catching up. Nearly every week I read about some breakthrough or new device. Ebook readers are currently expensive but once they get volume up the price will come down and you will be able to carry 40 books with you instead of one or two.

Maybe a small local college/university library could use them?

It's likely that the library already had copies of those books, or had other books covering the same topics. If so those books were of no use to them regardless of how good they were. Libraries operate with finite resources of money, staff, and space. Expending those resources on books (even "free" books) that are not needed, means that the resources are not available for books that are needed.

Additional: Goodwill ALWAYS takes books.

No way. The very, very distant future.

Reading books on a computer sucks -- and I honestly can't think of any technology that will change that anytime soon.

As soon as the price comes down on eInk, every college student will have his books in an ebook format. Music can be played via computer speakers and sound as good as radio. Unlike with the outset of Mp3, there is currently no high quality way to view ebooks for a reasonable price. As with all technology, the quality will go up and the price will go down. Couple that with the vast array of books freely available on the internet, and the revolution will really kick off.

I give it ten years, at most, until ebooks are a part of everyday life.

Music is one thing. Books have a texture, a feel, and ... especially with wondeful old books ... a smell that is comforting. When eBooks satisfy more senses than just the eyes, then maybe technology will have replaced books, too. But I doubt it.

You forget that people once said such about wanting physical copies of their music as well.

Fair point. But the act of holding an album or a CD is different that holding a book. I cannot run my finger over the back of a CD and hear it sing ... but I can run my finger through a book and make it talk. We both agree the act of reading is changing -- looking no further than how so many people get their news (on a screen! backlit!); heck look at where we read this article -- but books have a tangible place in our culture.

Can you imagine tucking a kid in for a bed time story and powering on a eBook, waiting for In the Night Kitchen to load? There's magic in turning pages ...

There is no waiting to load with eInk players. Further, with advances in technology - children's books could be more vibrant than ever. No longer would illustrations have to be stationary. Comic books could see an even greater leap in their ability to display action. Lastly, one could always make an eBook reader that looks like an actual book - but loaded with thousands of them.

Now I like comic books just the way they are. I like the implied action of a static drawing, the story told in boxes that cannot contain the action (see: Todd McFarlane; Frank Miller -- The Dark Knight Returns better as a ebook? Nope. Watchmen? Nope.) If I wanted moving pictures I can see a cartoon.

And this is where we clearly disagree. The act of reading -- of cracking a book, or opening a comic book -- is part of the thrill for me. Lending a book is part of the joy. Owning a dog-eared copy of a favorite book is, too. elnk players and eBooks will have their strengths and will have their purpose and, heck, I'll probably own one.

But they won't replace books. They don't have the feel for it.

I think future generations will see books as we see cassettes and VHS [and soon all physical media]. While older generations may keep with their books, the younger will only do so when it is cool to be retro - as it is every once in a while.

Both of the things you mentioned hardly have the cultural foothold of books. VHS tapes ... cassettes ... heck, CDs ... All 20th Century inventions. They were new, improved and outdated in less than one generation. Books have had staying power for generations. Empires have risen and fallen and books remain. In terms of inventions, books are far closer to the wheel than they are an 8-Track Tape.

An entire library on a palm-sized reader would make moving easier. Would make that backpack weigh a lot less. Bully for convenience, portability, and access. But elnk and eBook won't be the asteroids that kill this "dinosaur". Books will outlast both of us ...

Books have had staring power because there were no superior ways to display the written word.

Couldn't have said it better. QED.

There are lots of places to donate books besides libraries and thrift stores. This guy didn't try very hard. What about abused women's shelters, daycares, low-income schools, colleges, etc.

Again -- you simply don't know what you're talking about. Read my comment #20 -- I've worked in bookstores over a period of a few years, and I know the reality concerning how "easy" it is to get rid of books:

It's simply not possible.