Destination Bookstores

The Seattle Times ran an article on unique bookstores in the US that so express the communities in which they exist that they qualify as tourist stops. One not on the list that I stumbled across on my recent trip to Manhattan is The Drama Book Shop, 250 West 40th St., between 8th and 9th Avenues. I noticed it as I was heading in to CUNY's graduate school of journalism to give a talk and stopped at the end of the day after I met with some editors. I made it all of 15 feet in when a title caught my eye and I ended up purchasing it and heading off to read. Next time I'm in Manhattan, I'll be heading back. Another favorite of my wife's and mine is in the town of Montague, Mass.. It's called the Book Mill, as it's situated along side a river in an old mill building. A used book store, it has a good selection, but what really stands out is its marketing phrase: books you don't need in a place you can't find.

Missouri County to Pay for Good Press

According to a story in the Sun Herald, Hancock County tourism officials are planning to pay freelance writers an extra $100 if they place a toady's article somewhere or other that is at least 100 miles from the area. (Is that because anyone closer will be laughing at the concept?) Each placement garners another image of Ben Franklin when the writer sends in a copy.

Not only is this completely unethical from a journalistic view, but the county wise people are now probably sinking any chance they had at favorable press, because no editor in his or her right mind is going to trust any freelance article on the subject. Why stick your foot in your mouth when you could jam it into your eye?