Book burning as inventory management
Getting rid of extra stock is a perpetual headache for most booksellers (not to mention publishers). If returns aren’t an option, deep discounts aren’t working, and no one will take them as donations, what do you do?
A used bookstore owner in Kansas City, Missouri, has an idea: burn them! Publicly!
Tom Wayne has amassed thousands of books in a warehouse during the 10 years he has run his used book store, Prospero’s Books. His collection ranges from best sellers, such as Tom Clancy’s “The Hunt for Red October” and Tom Wolfe’s “Bonfire of the Vanities,” to obscure titles, like a bound report from the Fourth Pan-American Conference held in Buenos Aires in 1910. But when he wanted to thin out the collection, he found he couldn’t even give away books to libraries or thrift shops; they said they were full.
So on Sunday, Wayne began burning his books in protest of what he sees as society’s diminishing support for the printed word.
“This is the funeral pyre for thought in America today,” Wayne told spectators outside his bookstore as he lit the first batch of books.
The fire blazed for about 50 minutes before the Kansas City Fire Department put it out because Wayne didn’t have a permit for burning.
Wayne said next time he will get a permit. He said he envisions monthly bonfires until his supply — estimated at 20,000 books — is exhausted.
Wayne admits the burning was a “knee-jerk reaction,” but also claims “it’s a good excuse for fun.”
Really, what could be more fun and uplifting than a book burning? Though if you really want to get people talking (not to mention reading), why not display some of those titles – along with some unsold paintings from your local art store – as part of a homemade Entartete Kunst exhibit? We all love forbidden fruit! Free balloons for the kids!
How do I get ahold of this guy? I’ve been scouring the net for about an hour for contact info and no one seems to have provided anything.
thought i’d post this up here - and mike, you can reach him or the other owner at 816-531-9673 - at the bookstore.
this is the official response - it seems that many people are missing the whole point:
There are worse crimes than burning books, one is not reading them. ~ Joseph Brodskey
The individual who won’t read has nothing over the individual who cannot read. ~ Mark Twain
For ten years Prospero’s Books has been in the front lines of the literary arts, both as a bookseller (www.prosperosbookstore.com) and as a publisher (www.unholydaypress.com).
As a used bookseller, we have put our money where our hearts are – surrendering our hours and our revenues to sharing the world of books and, more importantly, the ideas they contain with anyone who would listen.
During these ten years we have seen reading decline dramatically. The National endowment of for Arts study on literary literacy (http://www.nea.gov/news/news04/ReadingAtRisk.html) in America which painfully highlighted the rapid decline of reading in America. In our own community, we’ve watched as bookstore after bookstore has folded.
Yesterday, we performed an act of art – a wakeup call to all who value books and ideas. Over the last 10 years, Prospero’s Books has 20,000 books we’ve collected that people simply will not read. We receive hundreds more each week.
At Prospero’s we fundamentally believe that the literary arts are not dead. We believe that there is still much about the human condition and our time still needing to be said. In so saying, we challenge you to get involved in two ways:
1. email these stories to your friends
2. call your local TV, radio, newspaper, blogs, etc. and tell them what is going on
3. For $1 a book (+ postage), you can save these books from the flame. We will not take these $s as profit, but will use them to publish new books.
Many of you have great ideas regarding what can be done with these books that’s better than burning them – we agree with you, and encourage YOU to get involved in sharing the gift of literature. For $1 a book + postage, you can support your local school, prison, etc.
If we are going to again place a spotlight on the importance of books and reading, we need Your help! It is bigger than two bookstore owners in Kansas City.
My greatest fear is that as a culture, we may be beyond saving the books.
We appreciate that you have joined what we hope will become a national dialogue about the importance of books. Thank you.
Sincere Regards,
Prospero’s Bookstore
I don’t believe I’m missing the point. It was done, by your own statement, to create a dialogue. Mission accomplished with me. I think what’s gone on is reprehensible, and that the owners aren’t creating art. However, since I’ve seen that books can be saved for a dollar…I’ll be doing my part and loading my car with as many as I can afford.
I guess my problem here is that first books were burned because of their content, and now they’re being burned because no one’s reading? From where I sit, this is an offensive destruction of art that should not be allowed to continue.
I think many people here are missing the point: these books, like many others in different places, are destined for the landfill. They are the detritus of our society. Thousands of books are thrown in the trash daily by bookstores, libraries, retailers, etc. This is a fact. So, what’s the difference? Bury them or burn them? At least this has people talking, and I don’t think any dumpster in a hidden alley behind Border’s has ever done that. Burn.
Make peace, not war!
This guy is a genius! How much is S+H gonna’ set me back, I wonder…?
I love the idea of this stunt, but wonder about using the $1 per book to print more books. Would it be better spent on literacy programs or lobbying for funding? If people aren’t buying books or reading, maybe we need to address that instead of, well, making more books.