The Devil assumes a pleasing shape

In a picturesque Long Island town evil comes in the form of a small bookstore.

"Several storeowners nearby have ordered their staffs not to shop there. Indignant older women have marched inside the bookstore to yell at employees. And someone, or perhaps several someones, may have sneakily placed used chewing gum between the pages of new books.

The animosity seems to have stemmed from the fact that Books & Books moved in when there was already an independent bookstore, the Open Book, around the corner. And as some people saw it, there was no room for another one."

It might be nice for an independents shop to be perceived as evil once in awhile. It beats playing the victim.

David

The girl who woke the curmudgeon

I started to read the third Steig Larsson several months ago when Penguin made proof copies available (I'd rather they got the books to me on time instead of the proofs but oh well..)

But I've struggled to get about two thirds of the way through and I think I'll sleep fine if I bail on it.
I'm all for blockbusters and these kind of phenomenon do give booksellers an avenue to recommend the good stuff; and I very much liked the first two books, and their limitations were minor.

Some of my feelings are better represented here.

David