Nancy Pearl: caught in the anti-Amazon backlash
With her Book Lust series, 鈥淥ne Book, One City鈥� campaign, and tireless promotion of literacy among youth, she鈥檚 done as much for the book world as say, Oprah. So why is everyone mad at Nancy Pearl?
Weeks after to publish out-of-print favorites under the Book Lust Rediscoveries series, Pearl is still facing vehement opposition for partnering with the online mega-retailer many in the industry consider 鈥渢he enemy.鈥� (Just take a look at a recent cover of , which shows a book in flames with , 鈥淎mazon wants to burn the book business.鈥�)
, 鈥淭he Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, which just gave Ms. Pearl its lifetime achievement award, described the reaction among its members as 鈥榗onsternation.鈥� In Seattle,. 鈥楤etrayal鈥� was a word that got used a lot.鈥�
According to The New York Times, one Twitter user, referring to a Nancy Pearl bobblehead doll, even tweeted, 鈥淚 might have to burn that superhero doll.鈥�
Not surprisingly, Pearl is shaken by the intense reaction.
鈥淚 knew the minute I signed the contract that there would be people who would not be happy, but the vehemence surprised me,鈥� . She even avoided Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to protect herself from the angry comments, the Times reported.
Folks in the book world are questioning Amazon鈥檚 motives, too. 鈥淲as Amazon sincerely trying to rescue lost classics or was it cynically buying a local hero鈥檚 endorsement to cover up its aggressive tactics?鈥� .
Earlier this year Amazon announced 鈥�," a series of Pearl鈥檚 favorite, out-of-print books that will be published and made available for sale via Amazon.com. Each of the books is personally selected by Pearl and will include an introduction, discussion questions, and list of recommended readings from her.
Pearl makes only 鈥渁 couple of hundred dollars鈥� per book that Amazon republishes, .
Pearl鈥檚 agent, Victoria Sanders, had shopped the idea to 20 publishers, none of whom were interested. Then Amazon jumped at the opportunity.
At the time, Pearl said she was thrilled, commenting, 鈥淗elping these wonderful books find new readers is, for me, a joy and a delight. I was blown away by Amazon Publishing鈥檚 enthusiasm for the project and the extent to which they really understood what I wanted to do.鈥澛�
But it turns out she鈥檚 also been blown away by the negative response.
鈥淏y aligning herself with Amazon, she鈥檚 turning her back on independents,鈥� Seattle Mystery Bookshop owner J.B. Dickey . 鈥淎mazon is absolutely antithetical to independent bookselling, and, to many of us, truth, justice, and the American way."
Wow. Who knew the anti-Amazon passion would burn hot enough to singe even industry icon Nancy Pearl?
Would she do it again if she could?
It鈥檚 鈥渁 hard question,鈥� Pearl told the Times.
We bet.
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
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