Amazon.com is worse than heroin.

[DanS]

I live 4 blocks from that Kramerbooks that Rufus likes so much, but have never bought a book from them. On the other hand, I've bought drinks there several times.

There's a Barnes & Noble about 5 blocks away that I shop at pretty often. Most of my purchases are through Amazon.com or Buy.com, however. In the near future, it will all be e-books and those book stores will be out of business.

The DC public library has a ton of e-books available for loan via download. It is wholly dysfunctional otherwise, of course. If you actually go to a DC public library and find the physical book that you want (or DVD, etc.), my top hat is off to you.

[Riesstiu IV]

A book thread! A month back, I found a complete eight volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon for $40 at a used bookstore. The books were in good condition and look liked they had never been opened.

I also found the three volume Byzantine history written by John Julius Norwich. This is a must for anyone interested in Late Roman and the Eastern Empire until the fall in 1453.

[Provost Harrison]

Intra-European shipping is much cheaper, and the books in both .co.uk and .de cost the same. Except they the price is in pounds or euros. So for the same amount of money I can either order the books from a European Amazon and have it delivered by drunken postmen two weeks later, or order them from the US and get them delivered by a UPS courier in 3 days.

How dare you The Royal Mail postmen aren't drunk! They're stoned. Clear distinction!

[onodera]

How dare you The Royal Mail postmen aren't drunk! They're stoned. Clear distinction!

Do you think a RM postman would travel to Moscow to deliver my books?

[Provost Harrison]

Hell, they barely travel to work, let alone Moscow

[DanS]

What makes Russian post-men particularly likely to be drunk versus the average Russian (or Russian UPS carrier)?

[onodera]

Extremely low wage and no career prospects?

[Provost Harrison]

Is that Royal Mail or their Russian counterparts?

[Dauphin]

Royal Snail.

[Elok]

Yep, I live near DuPont Circle -- with my wife. We also regard Key West and Amsterdam as two of our favorite vacation destinations. In addition, I dress well and love musicals and the album Judy at Carnegie Hall, while having absolutely no interest in sports. On the other hand, I also love poker, steak, bourbon, and the music of Frank Sinatra while having no interest in fashion or any form of dancing other than the jitterbug.

If you can sort it all out, get back to me, will ya?

Hmm...I've consulted my oracle, and it is pretty befuddled. Sez here that, based on that info, you should be not only bi-curious, but also mildly physically attracted to cocker spaniels and certain vegetables. I guess I need to fine-tune this thing.

[MrFun]

I live 4 blocks from that Kramerbooks that Rufus likes so much, but have never bought a book from them. On the other hand, I've bought drinks there several times.

There's a Barnes & Noble about 5 blocks away that I shop at pretty often. Most of my purchases are through Amazon.com or Buy.com, however. In the near future, it will all be e-books and those book stores will be out of business.

The DC public library has a ton of e-books available for loan via download. It is wholly dysfunctional otherwise, of course. If you actually go to a DC public library and find the physical book that you want (or DVD, etc.), my top hat is off to you.

Hey, don't forget the other store, Books A Million!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hey, don't forget the other store, Books A Million!

Silence, you! Kramerbooks and Books-a-million must not be spoken of in the same breath. Books-a-million has a poor selection, a staff that doesn't know much about anything in their store, and no bar.

Honestly, Mr. Fun, if we were discussing the Five Guys on Connecticut, would you chime in with "Don't forget the McDonald's on 17th!"?

[DanS]

I can't be sure, but I think MrFun was joking.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I can't be sure, but I think MrFun was joking.

You know, I'm pretty sure that's what they'll put on his tombstone...

(But, you know, I do wonder how the heck that place affords the real estate they're in; it's a crappy story that's never crowded, but they have one of the choicest storefronts in all of DC. Go figure.)

[MrFun]

Screw you guys. I like Books A Million and I don't care what you think.