George Bush's memoirs came out at midnight last night. I waited until 2 AM our time to buy the digital copy for my iPad from Amazon.com.
The book was available RIGHT at 2:00 AM, it downloaded in a matter of seconds, and only cost me $9.99, a healthy discount over the printed version (on sale for $18 - $22, regularly $35).
It occurred to me A) how great technology is, that without leaving my home I can get the newest book only seconds after it's released. and B) how the publishing industry really seems to have gotten the whole electronic aspect right.
I remember calling my local talk radio station and arguing on air with the host about the recording industry and the fact that I thought they were getting what they deserved with Napster. At a time when I could go to my local store and buy a CD or Cassette single for $0.99 - $1.49 the labels tried launching download sites charging $3.99 per song!
It was no wonder people flocked to Napster. The host actually commented that he had written several books and didn't want people stealing his work. I remember telling him that if and when the publishing industry got to the point where stuff was being sold online hopefully they wouldn't be greedy and push people in the direction of stealing.
Well, they haven't, and kudos to them! Buying a book has become an enjoyable online experience and I appreciate that they recognize they need to pass along their cost savings to me the consumer!
I have neither an iPad nor a Kindle... guess I will have to pop the extra bones to pick up a copy of W's book. Normally I don't read these kind of memoires, but I am interested in this one.
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MM
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
I do not have any electronic device to read either Mema, but like you I do look forward to reading the Bush Memoir. The first decade of this century was extremely turbulent and it will be interesting to get the President's insights into what shaped that decade.
I guess I'm just interested in what his side of the story is about 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the decisions made by his administration related to those events. Everybody in this country was touched by those things on some level, but I was directly impacted by them as a consequence of what I do for a living. We have all heard what the "talking heads" have to say, it will be interesting to see what his real opinions are... as much as will be publicly spoken of.
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MM
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
Bought "Decision Points" last night on my way home from work. I'm about 1/4 the way through it already. When I get home tonight, I will start up on Chapter 5 which is about 9/11.
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MM
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
What are your thoughts on the book so far Michele?
It is an interesting read so far. Not quite what I expected either. He has no problem admitting his own shortcomings, and really is not apologetic for them either. He just kind of plainly tells it like he sees it, with little bits of his humor thrown in. Honestly, he does come off as a lot more introspective and contemplative than he has generally been portrayed in the media.
As JR mentioned, the book is not a chronological telling of his life, it is set up to where each chapter is about a particular subject and the time frame may span from childhood through present day. That probably makes it a slightly more interesting read. At the least, one gets an idea of how he formed the opinions he did on certain subjects, like the whole embrionic stem cell research situation (Chapter 4).
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.
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MM
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
Possibly. I thought about getting the audio book, but I don't usually spend enough time in the car for that.
I'm through the first three chapters.
