With all this spare time cw, one can't image why you've (apparently) decided not to respond to your emails. I, of course, mean sensible ones. Maybe there is some methodology. If so, pray tell us what it is??????????

Hmmn. Spare time is a particularly rare and precious commodity around here, I'm afraid. My email load has reached the point where I occasionally miss something - although, despite the fact that I'm not paid to do so, I try to respond to everything.

If I haven't replied, try again. And perhaps you might think about becoming a Patron ... so that I will get some return for the many, many hours of work I put in to all these activities.

I feel suitably admonished. My timing when sending my missiveS must have been out. Love the 'blog'!

Send them again, Anna. I had a relapse yesterday - the current virus seems to be a recurring one - so I was a touch irritable.

I've been building up to writing somewhere about this but I don't know where. Gaslight closed, Einstein's Moon in Sth Melbourne closed, George and Pat's Hardware in Ivanhoe closed and if people keep buying their books from Big W and hardware from Bunnings to which they have to drive, park etc. they won't be able to get things any other way. CW do you really like shopping at Big W or would you rather go to your local shop and pay a bit more for a pleasant shopping experience and convenience. You clearly made your trip multifunctional but my point remains. If we want the convenience of a retailer 'round the corner' or 'down the road' we have to support them.

Hi Charles,
My wife heard Adrian d'Hage on Jon Faine & I googled and listened to an adelaide audio interview also.

No time to go to Woolworths-Got 10% off as senior/pensioner.

Do read the rest of the book. I enjoyed it-makes good sense-very moving in spots. I hope more read it.

Also re Tried & True 11/8 Do you have some recommendations re a supplier who puts your thoughts into a computer for a older dummy.Under $1,200 + building it.

Thanks

Alex

OK. I'll try to get back into it. Since Friday night I've been reading John Ralston Saul's The Collapse of Globalism, which is fascinating stuff. His keynote address opening the Melbourne Writer's Festival was rivetting.

As for a supplier: you might check out www.msy.com.au

Thanks Charles.

My wife heard Jonathan Saul & I have read a little of his work. Will follow up his lecture. Thanks for that and also msy.com.au

Best wishes.

You have great patience & care in your radio program. A model for many of us.

Alex

It's a good point, Dick. In fact I do buy a lot of books at places like, for instance, Chronicles, in Fitzroy St.

It's just best sellers that I pick up at Big W.

But the consumer shouldn't be expected to pay so much to support independent book shops. Their plight, it seems to me, is the result of outrageous pricing by the publishers.

For instance, I bought a copy of Nicci French's Catch Me When I Fall at Big W for $17.95 - the Bleeding Edge spouse loves their stuff (Nicci French is actually written by a man and woman writing team). It would have cost me $29.95 at Chronicles - for a paperback. That seems to me outrageous. It wouldn't cost anything like that in the US, for instance.

While the publishers rip us off like that, readers are going to turn increasingly to second-hand shops, or even libraries.

Second-hand sales don't help the author, because he doesn't get a royalty on second-hand sales (although writers do get something from library loans). I'd like to see some royalty system put in place to cover second-hand sales. Possibly 5 per cent, bearing in mind authors get only 10 per cent of a new sale.

That's funny. I always find myself calling him Jonathon Ralston Saul instead of John Ralston Saul. It's got something to do with Jonathon Livingstone Seagull, I think.

Well Charles, I'm pleased to hear you support Chronicles. Clearly I'm an interested party [we offered you some Moleskins for a small discount some time back]. Big W's price for the Nicci French is barely more than we paid for it. The same with the recent Harry Potter - some outlets were selling it below cost in truck loads when it would have sold in truck loads at any price. Those bulk stores might get a bit more margin but not much. I agree with your comments about the publisher's price of course - ordinary books have nearly doubled in price in the last 5 yrs [partly GST, bless our Pollies] but no 'watchdog' has said 'boo' [or woof?] Petrol's done something similar and look at the attention that gets.
So when you protest at the publisher's by buying at Big W et al. you only hurt the small retailers, 'cos the distributors/publishers more or less get their price anyway and the chains get you into their store.
I was guilty of the same thing though, contributing to the demise of George and Pat's hardware where I bought six screws or had a key cut but went to Bunnings for my power tools etc.
I've woken up and have decided that local is best when possible even at a slightly higher price. I must admit that the difference of $12 is hard to ignore. We just have to take the consequences - Supermarket's will only ever stock the best sellers, and then?????
I too enjoy your tag with Peter Moon on Thursday's 774 and I'm lobbying hard [as is my brother in France] to get the audio download replaced by the ABC.