Saturday, April 16, 2011

Amazon Agrees To Collect Sales Tax!


...uh, well, not for them to collect sales tax, as retailers generally do at the time of purchase, but for you to keep track of your Amazon purchases and remit that sales tax on your own.

Here is a link to the story from WISTV News 10, Columbia South Carolina's news leader. Apparently even Republicans in that state are thinking it is time for Amazon to contribute to the local coffers. But here is the quote from the story that caught my eye: "A coalition of community and business leaders gathered Thursday afternoon at the Lexington County administration building to show their support for Amazon. They said Amazon is not attempting to avoid charging sales tax on items. They said it is the responsibility of shoppers to pay that tax on their own." Those italics are definitely my own.

So Californians, here is how it works: after every purchase you make from Amazon.com, write a check for 9.5% of the purchase amount made out to the Board of Equalization. Send that check to P.O. Box 942879 Sacramento CA 94279. If we all do our part, maybe our schools will stay open and our roads will get paved and there will be firefighters there to get our cat down from that tree. All those little things that make life in the Golden State worth living.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

A new book I really like: GALORE

Winner of many prizes (and finalist for the coveted International Impac Dublin Literary Award), Galore is a sprawling yet precise novel that walks the mysterious line between the everyday and the otherworldly. It's somehow both stark and sublime.

Be the first among your pals or book group to discover this unusual and rewarding Canadian gem of a book. Then pass it on, as you'll want to talk about it. Plenty more kudos from reviewers here.

Also worth noting, this is a paperback original--kudos to Other Press for debuting an excellent book in an affordable paperback!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

OK, readergirlz - we'll rock the drop with you!


Even though Green Apple Books isn't a library, there is excitement afoot on Thursday, April 14th when the American Library Association joins together with Figment and Readergirlz to show their support to Teen Literature Day and 'Rock the Drop'. The list of suggested ways for folks to participate is found here, but let me tell you what Green Apple is going to bring to the table. . .

On Thursday, April 14th we will be having a ONE DAY SALE on young adult books, when each and every book in our young adult section will be 20% off! Just mention 'Rock the Drop' at the front counter and the discount will be yours!

This discount will apply to age-appropriate material only, and will be at the discretion of our staff, so stick to the books on the mezzanine, please.

Read On!

Northern California Book Awards

On Sunday, the Northern California Book Awards were held in the Koret Auditorium at the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library. This was the 30th annual awards ceremony honoring books published by Northern Californian authors, translators, and poets. We tip our caps to the deserving winners.

Poetry in translation
Maribor
Demosthenes Agrafiotis
Translated from Greek
by John Sakkis and Angelos Sakkis
Post-Apollo Press

Fiction in translation
A Thousand Peaceful Cities
Jerzy Pilch
Translated from Polish
by David Frick
Open Letter Books

Children's literature
The Haunting of Charles Dickens
Lewis Buzbee
Feiwel and Friends


Creative non-fiction
Infinite City:
A San Francisco Atlas
Rebecca Solnit
University of California Press


General non-fiction
Winner-Take-All Politics:
How Washington Made the Rich Richer
—And Turned Its Back on the Middle Class
Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson
Simon & Schuster


Poetry
Suck on the Marrow
Camille T. Dungy
Red Hen Press


Fiction
Ivan and Misha, stories
Michael Alenyikov
TriQuarterly Book
s

(Clicking on each cover will bring you to the book's page on our website.)