Book Sales and Book-ish Events.

I thought I'd post this now, since just finding some interesting book sales. Maybe the world is no longer interested in reading, but will just wait for the movie or made-for-tv movie. I guess I'm not part of that world, since I still enjoy a good read and don't get a single channel on my tv since I don't subscribe to cable.

For a list of local book readings and signings, The San Francisco Chronicle website, sfgate.com has a pretty inclusive list. Now that A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books is closed, it's up to Cody's Books, Booksmith, Books, Inc., and Book Passage (among others) to feature the writers. I haven't gone to an event at Booksmith or Books Inc., but here are my feelings on the other two.

Cody's is usually pretty easy to get a seat 20-30 minutes before the event. The line starts early and usually doesn't get large. However (big topic with me here), if you're sitting in the small room enclosure upstairs you'll likely be dead last for the signing downstairs. Yup, get there three hours early for a prime seat, wait 3 hours for a book signing later. Those that happen in last minute will listen on a speaker, but be first in line for signings. That blows.

Book Passage get some very long lines outside before events. I'm talking 'they should limit the crowd' kinda long. You can be in the freakin' middle of the line, and hardly be in standing room for the event. No view of the speaker and a kinda poor audio system to hear from. The Seated get first in line for signings, so you're rewarded if you wait. But lots of the chairs are reserved, so little luck in getting one. The signing line can be hours longer than your patience may tolerate. I dunno if the author always stays to sign for all, but it can be l-o-o-o-ong.

For all you literati, there are lots of book sales in the entire Bay Area if you're looking to get some books on the cheap. Most sell books for $1 or less, paperbacks often much less. Plus, your money goes to a good cause of funding your local libraries. How can that possibly be wrong? Not a chance. It's a great thing.

The Palo Alto Book Sale is coming up, Sat-Sun Aug 12-13, from the Friends of the Palo Alto Library.

Contra Costa County has plenty of ongoing sales. They have a great page, listing of all their book sales.

Millbrae Library is having their book sale Sat Sept 9th.

By far, one of the largest is the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library's 42nd annual Book Sale from Thurs-Sun Sept 28th-Oct 1st.

I guess the huge Oakland Book Sale just passed last weekend. This event used to be an annual thing for me with my family, lots of great finds.

Late addition here: I found this and thought it worth a few words: The Ygnacio Valley Library lists its complete inventory of books for sale online. This includes book #00027: The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testaments and New Testaments, London, Oxford Press 1865. "Author Unknown. Inscribed by Author". Call me crazy, but that's gotta be worth more than the $45 they're asking for. w-o-w. Maybe I should get it and re-sell it on eBay? My question is... Is the middle initial really "H." huh.

More worth mentioning, is that perhaps if you'd care to donate any books they are usually only too happy to help make the process easy. And with many bookstores offering so little for your books, maybe it's a better write-off than your cash payment would be anyways?

Fitting into the DYK (Did You Know) category... The San Francisco Public Library has many ongoing events that may surprise. From opera highlights to bookmaking clinics to chess clinics. And free business counseling by former execs. Not to mention the internet 101 and children's book reading sessions.

The Legion of Honor has weekly organ concerts on Saturdays at 4 pm.

Friday Nights at the De Young are $5.

I cull information on upcoming events from many sites and sources, and one that is comparable to citysearch.com is sfstation.com. You've undoubtedly visited already, but it's a fast easy site to search on.

Also, as much as I might appreciate movie trailers on apple.com, I'm starting to get used to using google for my movie previews. I'm not saying it's better, but google video offers a lot of other content, that I'll deem safer than other sites. Why I justify this, I'm not sure. But I just do.

Nobody's ever asked me, but I'll mention that I only link sites I've visited personally and deem safe to view. I have several internet security applications and spyware programs that give me some peace of mind. I won't link anything I feel is questionable in its intention. Further, I will not link to any sites that use tracking cookies.

Oh, what's that you ask? Yeah, my ranking at Technorati.com has improved. No longer am I 1,669,958 in ranking ('majorly pathetic'). I've jumped a whopping 63,000+ to 1,606,143 ('still majorly pathetic')! Wow. Hold. me. back. I'm. beside. myself. with. joy... Or not. Not that it matters. But it's funny to see. Cheers.