A couple of musings about books.
I buy all my mysteries from Mysterious Galaxy, an independent bookseller specializing in science fiction and mysteries. I even pre-ordered the last Harry Potter novel. Yeah, I can get it at 40% off from Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com but that's not the point.
The point is that these small independents are the lifeblood of authors. A couple of times each week Mysterious Galaxy sponsors book signings from some of the biggest and smallest name in mystery/crime fiction. From Michael Connelly and Robert Crais to the less well-known, and is some cases superior talents of Alan Russell and Don Winslow, Mysterious Galaxy offers an intimate environment to listen, learn and buy.
And then there's the staff, including Patrick, who always greets me with our favorite word from the HBO series Deadwood.
The store is fun, intimate, and only a few blocks away from another of my favorite San Diego establishments, Liberty Tobacco (but that's another post for another time.)
My other thoughts surround the end of the Books section of The San Diego-Union Tribune. If there has ever been a champion for books it has been the section's editor, Arthur Salm. His columns, insights and suggestions are gems.
The handwriting on the wall was first the inclusion of the Books section into the Arts Sunday section. From there it was only a short few weeks until it disappeared, now folded into the increasing drab Arts section. The local fish-wrapper has now sentenced its literate and polished book reviews to the same fate that nearly every American daily has adopted. Only six U.S. newspapers have a stand alone book review section.
There's enough ink and newsprint for Paris Hilton, Phil Spector, Brittany Spears and entire columns featuring local American Idol "judges" but not enough for books. Another black mark for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
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