Hugo-Related Thought

Having not read Brian Selznick's book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, I can't say whether it contains any fantasy or science fiction elements.

However, I predict that when Martin Scorsese's film of the book, Hugo, comes out, some SF fans will find the temptation to nominate a film named Hugo for a Hugo Award irresistible.

(Warning: plays a commercial for an insurance company before the trailer. Isn't a trailer a commercial in itself? Why should a commercial have a commercial?)

Borders Death Watch

Borders is dying. Stores around here are due to close after Saturday. Everything is marked down to 70% off (and a few deeper discounts). Shelving and fixtures are being peddled.

Prices are down to the kind of used-bookstore levels where I usually purchase books. I am tight with my book-bucks and it is very unusual for me to buy a new book at full cover price.

The Geneva Borders store on Randall Road had a copy of Turn Left at Orion, third edition (with the Mary Lynn cover) for $8.40 a few days ago. I bought a couple of copies, but didn't feel a need for a third one.

More than one Borders still has a fair selection of, say, hundreds of SF and fantasy titles this week. Over the weekend their aisles were bustling with bibliophiles. The former "bargain" books are down from six or seven bucks to one or two bucks, so that's a section well worth scanning.

For some reason I get a pang of sadness when I see a book by a friend on these shelves. I know their titles will keep selling in other stores, and online, but there's something lonely and forlorn about a book in these surroundings.

The original Borders store in Ann Arbor was a magical place, crammed with arcane titles. When it blossomed into a chain, there was rejoicing across the land. For quite a while, we had really big bookstores, with really wide selections, all over America. It was fun while it lasted.

I think I'm pretty much done shopping, but I might peek in to see if prices drop any further.