A gentle reader requested to know a bit more about Torgny Lindgren. And so ever one to oblige those seeking knowledge about my favorite writers, you all shall be punished for his curiosity. I have only five books, I don't know how many are available in translation: The Way of a Serpent , Light , Sweetness , Bathsheba , and Merab's Beauty . The first three that remain most vividly in my mind--the first a story about a wicked landlord who collects the rent from a family in rural Sweden and when the money runs out begins to exploit the women of the household. The title is taken from proverbs 30:19 the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. (KJV) And though my recollection is at something of a distance now, at least two, and possibly all three of these is developed in the course of a very short novel. Perhaps the best description of the book is gritty and realistic. I...
I used to go to Borders regularly because it had the best selection of new books, CDs, and DVDs around. But, now I haven't been in a Borders for several years because its inventory is no longer the best in town. B&N, although not having a large selection outside of the best sellers, is still better now than Borders.
ReplyDeleteThere's an independent bookstore still around, although probably not for much longer, that specializes in mysteries, which I visit regularly.
One comment on the article--that looks like a shift from a merchandising focus to a service focus.
ReplyDeleteFew large corporations are flexible enough to change course in a short period of time.
Dear Fred,
ReplyDeleteTo your last comment--true--but when you're in a commodities market, one of the things that markets your commodities are the services that you layer around it. Many companies are feeling this painful crunch in business today.
Shalom,
Steven