Farewell

As of February 28th, the Book Oasis finally ceased to be! The space is empty, the fixtures sold or donated, and all we have left are the memories.

I first entered Book Oasis when it was under the ownership of Nancy Caldwell. She was a gracious woman with kind eyes and a direct voice. She treated every customer like a friend always made a point to ask how things were going in your life. I learned a lot from her.

When I bought the store from her in 1993, we settled the deal at Lyon's restaurant, and shook hands all around. When she came back to the store to pick up her stuff she was a bit teary-eyed. I gave her a big hug and promised that I would continue all the same traditions that she'd had. She thanked me, and then left, eventually moving to Fresno to be with her boyfriend, whom she later married.

Over the ensuing weeks, many customers greeted me with the perpetual question, "Where's Nancy?" Over time, though they switched their allegiance to me. It was slow going, but eventually I proved to be as versatile as she was. It required some unusual work on my part, though. I had to read several romance novels so as not to lose my most lucrative customer base! I also had to start expanding some sections, and terminating old ones. Men's Adventures (Mack Bolan, Death Merchant, etc.) were merged in with contemporary thrillers, while True Crime expanded into a section of its own. Religion disappeared for a while, and then, like Lazarus, was resurrected! Cookbooks grew from a small shelf in the back to a huge one all its own.

But amidst all the growth, there was still time for some adventures of my own. There was the Philodendron Experiment, in which I discovered quite by accident that Diet Pepsi makes excellent food for the philodendron! In fact, in less than a year the philodendron on top of my main bookshelf grew to an astonishing thirty-six feet in length! It might have grown longer, but I also discovered that such plant food makes the dirt smell especially bad after a certain amount of time!

Then there was the Sorcery Customer--a man who came in with a Gold Pentacle around his neck and a bold demand for a certain book on Sorcery! I found it for him, he tipped me $20, took his purchase, climbed into a cherry-red Camaro, and left in a squeal of rubber. I never saw him again, but I couldn't shake the image of a man who was in big hurry to send a message to the Netherworld. I hope it wasn't a Collect Call!

Over the ensuing years, a wide variety of customers came to call on Book Oasis, and many stayed loyal customers to the very end. To you all, friends, family, teachers, and loyal customers, I give a very hearty "Thanks!" It was fun while it lasted, but the presence of the Internet has changed the world radically. Still, thanks for giving me nearly fourteen years to enjoy my work!

If you want to continue reading my blog, go to http://www.myspace.com/parnassus and you'll see that it's updated pretty regularly.

Oh! before I forget, my first collection of poetry will soon be out. It's called, "Standing Apart". I'll be contacting a few local booksellers to ask them if they'll carry it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Take care one and all. I think of you all regularly.
Larry Burdick on 03.24.07 @ 11:49 PM PST [link]

The Face of the Future

Well, I'm here on a Saturday packing books in my now defunct bookshop. I've got another two weeks until I have to be out of this commercial space, and so I'm racing against time. Ending one era and beginning another is hard, but in the end I think I'll be a stronger person for it.

The hardest part is that I am by nature a person who takes a long view on things. As such, my vision tells me that America is beginning to suffer a schism; there are those who read, and those who don't. But what's worse is that the splinter fractures further amongst those who do read will only read the most current titles; and then a tiny fraction of thos who will read older materials; and then only a tiny percentage of THAT group who will fully appreciate it. Thus, the true literati will be make up a very tiny minority in this country!

Americans as a rule are working harder and harder for the same amount of money; leisure time is shortening, which in turn limits the amount of browsing that a bookbuyer can do. As such, small bookstores lose out because the old customers are reduced to buying books on other shopping trips, and naturally snatch up what they can in supermarkets, Wal-Marts, etc. Thus, small bookshops like my own lose out; the victims of forces beyond our control.

I have heard the booksellers have a much higher standing in Europe and Asia, and of course the lifestyle there is quite different. Perhaps people there have more time to read.

As a rule, literature reflects history, which in turn reflects the current face of society. As bookcases in superstores and supermarkets are increasingly filled with thrillers of serial killers and espionage and romance novels, I begin to wonder if American literature doesn't reflect a hidden desire to find meaning in our frenetic lives. If so, then it will likely be an unrequited need, for there is little time left in our daily lives to fulfill it.

Larry Burdick on 02.10.07 @ 06:29 PM PST [link]

Greetings Friends and Fellow Booklovers,

It is with deep regret that I must announce that Book Oasis will soon be closing.

This has not been an easy decision to make, and I have held off on doing so for as long as possible. But, regrettably, the time has come to bite the bullet.

The biggest blow to the business came when I was forced to leave my location at Third & L Street. After the usual three-year lapse during which people must become familiar with the new location I started to see more customers; then the city began the First Street demolition and new construction. I believe this worked as reinforcement for people to stay away. This was extremely hard on the shop, and seriously taxed my reserves. While it was hoped by many that the city reconstruction would lead to more walk-in traffic and greater revenues for downtown merchants, the great flow of regular customers never materialized!

All of you, my loyal regulars, have given me your business, and it's much appreciated. Unfortunately, it's never been quite enough. Pedestrian traffic might possibly increase as soon as the "Golden Triangle" across the street is finished. Unfortunately, I can't wait any longer.

Also, sadly, the superstores have redefined what it means to be a bookshop, and even the occasional walk-ins seem disappointed when they don't see the expected espresso bar across the room. But that represents a capital investment I simply can't afford; and, I'm allergic to coffee to boot!

I've checked around to see if anyone is interested in buying the shop. Sadly, no buyers have materialized. Over the years, however, many of you have told me you've always dreamed of owning a bookstore. Well, here's your chance! All offers will be considered! I'd much prefer the store continue under a new owner.

The liquidation sales have already begun! Discounts of 50% off began today. Those of you with large book credits are advised to take advantage of the opportunity. Successively larger discounts will be announced in the coming days as the stock gets thinner. Keep your eyes peeled for further updates. As such, the previously announced holiday sale on Dec. 16th will not take place. Barring any unforeseen difficulties, the store will close for good on Dec. 30th.

And me? Well, after spending thirteen years behind a counter, I think it will be good to get out in the open air again. Ideally, I will be working here in town, so I will get to see all of you, my friends and customers, from time to time. If not, then I hope to do some traveling in my new job.

I will remain active in the book business, but largely concentrating on Ebay sales. The future of the book business resides largely online, I'm afraid.

But, Book Oasis had a good run. Thirteen years is a long time, and it's been a good part of my life, something I will never forget, and I will never forget all of you who made it possible. Now, it's time to build a new and different future.

Thanks for everything.

Best wishes,

Lawrence H. Burdick
Book Oasis

Larry Burdick on 11.25.06 @ 11:41 AM PST [link]

Brand Name Loyalty

Some friends of mine told me about a conversation they had with their niece the other day. The little girl had been complaining about her chapped lips, so they got her some lip balm, and the child threw a tantrum. “It’s not Chapstick!” was the upshot of her complaint.

The story hit a chord with me, for I have heard on more than one occasion the comment from a passerby, or a browser, “This isn’t Borders.” Such people are Brand-Name shoppers—and it seems that such people are growing in numbers. If the familiar name is not on the item, or the shop, it’s considered ersatz.

This is worrisome, to me. For what it means is that in the eyes of these young consumers, anything that doesn’t fit into a commercial identity is suspect! Oranges not bearing the “Sunkist” label are suspect; laudry detergent not identified by a snappy media-borne commercial will be passed over; department stores without a blazing eight-foot sign are unworthy of patronage.

Our young have become slaves to brand name loyalty! Is this a product of simple human favoritism, or a creation of advertising itself?

Have Madison Avenue admen finally created their own sentient product? Are we witnesses now to a generation of shoppers who respond only to specific name-oriented products and venues? If so, Hurrah for the power of advertising! Or, is this really a cause for celebration, least of all by the ones who have helped to make these people?

Consider the limitations that this mind-set imposes on people: not only are they limited by what they can do, but also on the choices and options they have. If the favored brands are unavailable, what are the chances that they will take a risk on a generic item? If not, how will they cope in a crisis situation? I can just imagine a person falling from a high cliff after screaming at a person on the ledge above for a rope. Upon investigating the accident, a park ranger sees a length of nylon cable and asks the witness why they didn’t use that. “It’s not Slipknot rope. I don’t trust it,” the person says. Great comfort to the grieving family, I’m sure.

In books, brand-name loyalty could be disastrous. While many authors struggle to get their first novel published, few if any are actually choosey about who put the book into print, and many are grateful for any publisher willing to take a chance on them. Even more importantly, the various publishing houses often specialize in particular genres of literature, so brand-name loyalty could well deny a reader a valuable experience.

Bantam Books, for instance, publishes a wide variety of fiction, from mystery to science fiction. But if brand-name loyalties were used, many are the mystery readers who would have never read the works of Janet Evanovich, published by Pocket Books; or Raymond Chandler, under the Vintage imprint.

Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, originally published by an independent publisher, managed to garner enough attraction (and later, the Pulitzer Prize) to be worthy of Simon & Schuster; but brand-name loyalty would have precluded any interest in it. In a similar vein, American censors banned James Joyce’s Ulysses, before Random House publisher Bennett Cerf challenged the obscenity laws and won the right to publish it—before that, you had to buy English language editions in Paris and smuggle them back. Brand-name loyalty would have precluded this early American best-seller.

Then there’s the favoritism shown to the booksellers themselves. As the superstores and online giants continue to crush the smaller bookshops, a sort of de facto loyalty crops up. “I always buy my books through Amazon,” I overheard one woman say to a friend. Then there are the Barnes & Noble customers, and so on.

On reflection, I find that I have overlooked the largest venue of favoritism of all: genre selection! Many are the readers who only read a certain kind of book. From the Western lovers who never venture off the dusty trail, to those who never leave the Regency period of cotillions and garden balls, to the lovers of science fiction. Once settled into a comfortable niche, many readers never venture away from it.

Perhaps it is a matter of convenience—or simply a desire to continue with something that is familiar. Familiarity breeds comfort, after all, and comfort is a human desire. Regardless, for optimum literary experience, take a chance! Step outside the boundaries you may have set for yourself—the results can surprise you. I myself, a lover of nonfiction history, found myself aghast upon reading (for the first time) a romance novel by Judith Merkle Riley. I found to my intense surprise that she was very well-versed in medieval history; her book, Vision of Light, was quite enjoyable.

So, take the time to step away from a self-imposed path. The results may surprise you. Chance is the universe’s way of rolling the dice, and the odds are not always against you!

CLOSE THE BOOK ON:

William Styron, author of Lie Down in the Darkness, Confessions of Nat Turner, and Sophie’s Choice. Styron was considered by many to be the literary heir of William Faulkner.

Oriana Fallaci, Italian Journalist, and author of The Man, and, The Rage and the Pride. Fallaci was a frank, incisive writer whose candor won her both praise and criticism.

Larry Burdick on 11.03.06 @ 06:02 PM PST [link]

Cheese?

A few nights ago I was sitting here at my computer, having just finished some data entry when I heard a visitor at the front door. I started to go over to ask the customer if he had a book need, when I realized he was talking on his cell phone. Not wanting to interfere, I stuck my nose in a copy of The Stranger, by Camus, and waited to see if he knocked.

Over the next five minutes I overheard one side of a conversation a former New Yorker describe my store to a friend; naturally, he made comparisons to those he was familiar with in Gotham. “Big room”, “library-style shelves”, were some of the words used, but one comment stuck in my head, “…you know that cheesy store near Brooklyn?”

Cheesy? Boy! My store and I have been called a lot of things in our thirteen years together, but cheesy isn’t one of them!

I suppose if you were to compare Book Oasis to some high-end antigue store, or one of the big superstores, that comment might have some relevance. On the whole, though, most of my customers have always been pleased with the decorations and style of the shop. I have always tried to pick furnishings that have meaning or some history behind them. Like the books themselves, here, each shelf or chair has a story behind it. Here’s a random sampling:

My mother bought the children’s table and chair set for me, when I first started out in the business in 1993. The chairs will support and adult’s weight, as many a book-reading parent has discovered. Also, in the days before there were any other tables here, I ate many a lunch in the children’s section.

A friend of mine, Brian Leibowitz, who happens to be a great carpenter, constructed the wooden hard cover bookcases under contract. Even some professionals have remarked on the good workmanship.

The bamboo carving behind glass near my computer was a gift from a customer, who picked it up in Hong Kong in the 1950’s, when he was in the Merchant Marines. A couple of years ago, he and his wife moved out of state, but gave me several of his possessions, in memory of several years of happy book-shopping.

The Book Oasis sign hanging from the ceiling used to hang in the front windows of my two previous locations. Originally, the store logo was painted on the glass of my South “K” Street store, but the window broke during the big windstorms we had in 1995. The hanging sign in the worked better. The design is mine; a local artist, Lonnie Franklin, did the painting.

The library-style shelving was picked up from a surplus dealer, who was actually planning on dumping them in a landfill! The move and setup took several weeks, and I actually had to rent a 25-foot truck to transport them all. The wooden shelves they replaced were picked up by several passers-by, including one fellow who cannibalized the wood to construct a cabana for his backyard pool.

The blue chair near the Romance section was a gift from my friend Shawn Allyn. A few weeks back, one of the feet broke off, so all of them were sawed off to make the chair level. I thought this arrangement would elicit complaints, but several customers have remarked how sturdy and comfortable it is. And, hey, the customer’s always right.

The Italian-style picture near the Rare Cabinets—“Views of Ancient Rome” by Panini—was a picture I had seen at a yard sale, but the seller wanted too much money for it. I told him I’d come back when he was willing to deal. I returned, but he had already sold it, and my heart broke. However, a week later, the picture came in through the front door, under the arm of my friend, Don Meeker. He was the one who had bought it, as a present for me! Now is that synchronicity, or what?

So, in the face of so much history, and the generosity of friends, can this store really be called “cheesy”? I don’t think so. But then, that fellow never actually came into the shop, did he? He stood outside in the keening wind and recited comments into a wireless phone; he judged the book by its cover—or, perhaps—by the first few pages. But, as every good reader knows, you have to get into the body of a story to appreciate the ingredients.

Regardless, I hope that man comes back. He will discover not cheese, but a fairly decent souffle!



Larry Burdick on 10.12.06 @ 07:19 PM PST [link]

The FAQ

A young man was in the shop recently and asked me, “How come your website doesn’t have an FAQ?” I explained to him that most people knew what a bookstore was for, and he shrugged at that.

I got to thinking about that, and then wondered, what would the shop’s FAQ be? What questions am I asked repeatedly? After some pondering here’s a tentative FAQ, and the answers thereof:

Q. Are your sections alphabetical by author?
A: Yes. It’s the easiest way to organize books. To date, I have only heard of one other system for organizing books, “The Mayonnaise System”, from Richard Brautigan’s book, Trout Fishing in America. The Mayonnaise System is quite simple: Books are organized in categories such as "Love," "the Future," "Adventure," and "All the Rest."

Q. Where’s the light bulb?
A: The world’s-longest-continually-burning light bulb (which used to live in this building) was moved out of this building in 1976 when the fire department moved to its new building on East Avenue. It was hooked up to a battery for the journey so it didn’t go out. It is now in the new firehouse at 4550 East Ave.

Q. Do you accept books for trade?
A: Yes. You can bring in books for trade credit on any day of the week.

Q. How does the credit system work?
A: For paperbacks you get 15% of the cover price on your credit chit, and hardbacks 1/3 of the outgoing price. This credit can then be applied to your outgoing purchase as a discount. Up to 50% of your own sale can be discounted. The remainder is paid in cash.

Q. Why can’t I pay the entire amount with my trade credit?
A: Because that’s not legal tender, and there has to be some money coming in so I can pay the bills. Electricity, fuel, supplies, postage, groceries, mortgage, insurance, Internet fees, all of these require money. I’m trying to earn a living, just like everybody else.

Q. What kind of books do you read?
A: I’m quite diverse in my reading habits. I have to be, in order to recommend titles in different genres. I enjoy history, nonfiction, science fiction, mysteries, and humor. At present I’m reading, “Party of One” by Anneli Rufus; and the autobiography of H.L. Mencken.

Q. How can I get my child to read?
A: Simply put, you must be a reader, too! Children usually learn by observation. If they see you with your eyes glued to a page, they’ll want to know what’s caught your interest, and they will do the same. Simply telling a child to pick up a book, while you turn on the football game will tell the kid that reading is a hated assignment, and he/she will shuck it the first chance they get. That’s human nature. Only by showing that reading is truly a pleasure will they do it on their own.

Q. Do you have all your books on computer?
A: I have about 1/3 – ½ of my books on computer, and I add more everyday.

Q. I have a relative in jail. Can you ship books to him?
A: Yes. If you’ll purchase the books, we’ll send them. We cannot send personal items. Just books.

Q. You don’t have the book I need. Can you order it?
A: Yes. I sell new books on-demand. I will need the title and the author, or the ISBN.

Q. Why is there tax on the book?
A. Every singe item sold over the counter by any business is taxed. The Franchise Tax Board of California determines this.

Q. How did you come up with the name, Book Oasis?
A. Actually, I didn’t. I purchased the store from a prior owner who named it thus, probably with the idea that the store would be “an oasis of low-priced books in a wasteland of overpriced ones”. Since the beginning of the Iraq War I have been the target of hate mail, and a few computer viruses, aimed at me because ignorant people assume that mine is a business run by Middle Easterners. It isn’t, not that it should make any difference.

Q. Aren’t you afraid that ipods and downloadable books will phase out paper books? A. Not really. Have you ever noticed that after an hour or so your eyes hurt from looking at a computer screen. By contrast, you can read a book all day and the only thing that pains you is your stomach for missing too many meals. What actually worries me is that people may get caught up in the idea of “progress” and try to phase-out books in favor of handheld scanners and the like, only to discover later that the new format’s not as great as they thought.

Q. Do you sell books online?
A. Yes, my website is www.bookoasis.biz .

Q. What is the meaning of life?
A. According to Webster’s, “Life: To exist; to be; the state of living.”


Recent arrivals at Book Oasis:

Austerlitz, by W.G. Sebald

Bittersweet, by Leslie Li

Hunting with Hemingway, by Hilary Hemingway.

277 Secrets Your Dog Wants You to Know.

Letters From a Nut, by Ted Nancy (very funny book! I read it!)

Being There: The Benefits of a Stay-At-Home Parent, by Isabelle Fox (Signed!)

Lee: An Abridgment in One Volume of the Four-Volume R.E. Lee by Douglas Southall Freeman.

McNally’s Dilemma, by Lawrence Sanders.

On Blue Falls Pond, by Susan Crandall.

Never Love a Cowboy, by Jill Gregory.

Wild Animus, by Rich Shapero.

Orwell: The Authorized Biography, by Michael Shelden.

The New Painting: Impressionism 1874 – 1886.

Hedgecoe On Video: A Complete Creative & Technical Guide to Making Videos.







Larry Burdick on 09.18.06 @ 01:25 PM PST [link]

Larry Burdick on 09.18.06 @ 01:24 PM PST [link]

Last Saturday I was talking to a customer who smiled at me and said, "It's really great that you're the last bookstore in town, huh?"

I shook my head and said, "No, it's not."

So many people seem to think that it's great to be a monopoly, to be the last chance for someone to get what they want. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

Remember that scene in "Miracle on 34th Street", where Macy's doesn't have the item in question, so they cheerfully send the customer to their competitor, Gimbel's Department Store? Likewise, I always tried to maintain a good relationship with my competitors, unless they went out of their way to be rude or discourteous to me. Regardless, I always referred customers to someone else if I couldn't help them. During the long reign of Goodenough Books, we always referred customers to each other. I still maintain the same relationship with The Bookstore & Town Center Books, both of them over in Pleasanton; and with the Livermore Library. Sure, we bookstores are out to make a living, but there's no reason why we have to be rapacious about it. Bookshops that are "out for blood" tend not to last very long.

But now, with Goodenough, Bookworm, Whitestone, and Bassett in the Literary Afterlife, Book Oasis is left to fend for itself. For the customers who enter the door, they want and expect the remaining shop to have what they need, and I do my darnedest to make sure I've got it. I sell new books on demand, have author signings, read voraciously in order to recommend new titles, and make sure the music is always varied and tasteful. But, "Lions and Tigers and Bears!", the corporate predators are fast and thick. The superstores continue to take over more market-share, the big department stores have huge book displays, online reading and shopping continues to rise, while the overall number of book readers appears to be declining.

We may in fact be entering a literary Dark Age--where small bookstores have a Hobbesian existence (nasty, brutish and short--not Calvin's boon companion!), and those who read do all their shopping largely online. As our civilization continues to constrict, with the world getting smaller by the day, more and more of us are working longer hours, and have less time to shop. Hence, the rising popularity of online shopping. With gifs and virtual displays, it's easier to simply pick out what you want and have it delivered. One wonders what kind of profit margin the delivery companies have.

Speaking of online, another customer asked me why I simply didn't move my stock into a warehouse and work as an internet supplier. The truth is, I considered that, several years ago. The primary reason why I didn't do it was because, A) I enjoy the interactions with you the cutomers; and, B) the walk-in traffic ensures a steady supply of books. Lacking the open door, I'd be doing a fair amount of scrounging. Dumpster-diving for books? That would be a new experience! Not unheard of, though; I've got a few scouts who do that regularly.

So, no, being the last bookstore in town is not a happy thing. It is a warning--to me, to you, and to everyone. As we become more wrapped up in our own lives, some parts of the world around us fade from lack of attention. In a purely Darwinian sense this is not so surprising--small bookstores are like pockets of isolated soldiers on a slippery slope during a war, working to maintan their footholds. The battlefield is littered with the bones of lost comrades; stores that have either surrendered, or gone down fighting. Just today I heard that Beauty and the Books, a prominent Seattle store, has given up the ghost. When asked where he was going, the owner replied, "I haven't the faintest idea. Into the great unknown."

MacArthur said that old soldiers never die, they just fade away. But what about booksellers? What *does* a former bookseller do? Newspaper stand? Librarian? Peddle armadillo washing-stands door to door? Ideally, they should write a book about their experiences. Helene Hanff's "84 Charing Cross Road" is a fine example. Most of us in the business have had a few hair-raising experiences, and many funny ones. I have long thought about following in this great tradition. Perhaps, when I'm old and grey, I'll set the stories down to print.

I hope to see you all in here, soon! Give me fodder for my memoirs, and treat yourselves to the literary experience. The last bookstore in Livermore can use your support, especially if we are to face the future alone.



Larry Burdick on 09.05.06 @ 01:20 PM PST [link]