Comments on: Classification Problems

By: Jeremy Osner

Jeremy Osner — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

You can complain—but at least sociology, philosophy, religion, law sections at Borders or B&N also contain at least a minority of serious, worthwhile books. Try being into woodworking—go to the big box store and look in their crafts (or “home improvement”) section. You will learn what it means to be dismayed. And the problem is not that good books in the subject don’t exist—they do, in abundance—just not carried by big box bookstores.

By: MJL

MJL — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Come to DC. Or browse online at http://www.reiters.com/ You don’t the volume discounts of a Borders or an Amazon – but damn it if they don’t have the inventory.

By: unf

unf — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

http://www.semcoop.com

That link should allow you to shop for the lastest John Grisham masterwork in peace.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t forget the in-house Clinique counter. I don’t know how I got along before I could buy exfoliating cream in the bookstore.

By: Kevin Drum

Kevin Drum — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

You’re right about economics. A few years ago I wanted to find a decent popular explanation of Keynesian economics, but literally couldn’t find a single thing except for a comic book.

I finally found a few, though. In London.

By: Rana

Rana — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

History: Good books sandwiched between coffee table books on WWII fighting machines, boring presidential bios and accounts of colonial patriotism.

Western History: More barbed wire, rough riders and prairie pioneer diaries than you can shake a stick at. A few Indians thrown in for color.

Environmental History: Wha? How ‘bout some nature books instead?

By: Drapetomaniac

Drapetomaniac — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

we go to Labyrinth and are unacquainted with such problems.

By: Richard Johnston

Richard Johnston — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It always depresses me somewhat when the new age bollocks section in bookshops is always at least two times the size of the natural science section.

By: Invisible Adjunct

Invisible Adjunct — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“Don’t forget the in-house Clinique counter.”

Are you serious?! Wow.

The history section at most major chains should be renamed the American Civil War section (with a subsection perhaps titled The Time-Life Series of Twentieth-Century Atrocities).

By: walter

walter — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I actually used to work at Borders about ten years ago. They were expanding then and trying to compete with B&N. People had heard of B&N but, unlike now, when I said I worked at Borders, people looked at me quzzically or say that they loved the places burritos.

We used to have a great philosphy, literary criticism sections. It made those of us who were uncomfortable working for a chain at least take some pride that we actually kept these areas well stocked with stuff you couldn’t find at some of the really good indie bookstores in town. Today when I go into one and it’s pathetic. They are worse than B&n and I avoid the place like a leper colony.