Thanks to all of my customers who helped make April, and my first list, such a success! The next list will be out on about May 17.

I want to take this moment on a rainy Sunday to reach out a bit more to some of my customers and readers. Specifically, to my local customers here in D.C., and to all readers who value their book collections and intelligently seek new titles. I want to earn a good portion of your book-buying business. Let me tell you why.

Today, there is an exponentially greater number of book titles in publication than there were three decades ago, when the current model for book retail arose. In the early eighties, not to mention the fifties, it was still possible to contain a given year's titles in one store, and present those titles to the store's community. Bookstores and book publishers were fairly happy in their marriage, for the most part even-handed and mutually fulfilling. And Amazon, in the web format, was later able to utilize the same cooperative model, even as title production began its exponential rise. Readers have benefitted from all of these developments. Speaking for myself, I have to say that I love bookstores and don't really mind Amazon. It all goes to support and create American book culture.

But how do you read it all? There really is too much. If you are an educated and employed person, you are caught between wanting to continue your education in books, but ending up with a rather scattershot batch of material, only a small percentage of which you actually have time to read. You use the book reviews and "buzz" to pick what you think you'll enjoy. Ironically, this careful selection process, and all the talking about books, takes away from the time you have to sit down with the books themselves.

You might think of my trade as a "Book-of-the-month club," only I am more local than national, and more quarterly than monthly. Also, I'm young and rather non-establishment. I want to develop a business that works for you, me, and our friends, and will continue to work through the future of the book industry.

It's all about the book.

My schedule for May:
On vacation (business/pleasure) through Monday, May 11.
My next Eastern Market day, weather permitting, will be Sunday, May 17.
I'll also be out there on May 24 and 31, again weather permitting.

Call to order books any time at 202 237 1547.
Pass my website to your friends (www.danfarnbach.com).