Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:10:57 -0400
From: mark <whitroth at 5-cent.us>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: [WSFA] Wanted, Dead or Alive: Used Books
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Excerpt:
Larry McMurtry, the famed author of "Lonesome Dove" and dozens of other
books, was walking slowly along State Highway 79 on Friday morning
toward this town's only major intersection. Down the block, more than
150 collectors and dealers were queuing up to bid on 300,000 used books
- about two-thirds of the stock of Booked Up, the four-building literary
mecca that Mr. McMurtry started here in 1988.

"I've never seen that many people lined up in Archer City," he said.
"And I'm sure I never will again."

Now 76, Mr. McMurtry, the country's highest-profile book dealer,
recently decided to whittle his enterprise down to one building, which
will remain open with an inventory of about 150,000 books. He said he
expected the single store to be maintained by his heirs.

"One store is manageable," he said. "Four stores would be a burden."
<...>
Others at the sale were less concerned with civic dreams than with
transportation logistics. Joe Lozano, a collector from Culver City,
Calif., said he sold one or two books online for every 100 he bought. He
drove to Archer City in a Toyota Corolla with the back seats ripped out,
hoping he would buy enough books so that the extra storage space would
come in handy. "My wife's not here to stop me, so we'll see what
happens," he said.
--- end excerpt ---

<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/books/larry-mcmurtrys-book-auction-in-texas.html>

       mark