Sleazy Does It!
Publishing has hit a new low with the November 30 release of O.J. Simpson’s new book, If I Did It (Regan Books), in which the former football star speculates how he would have committed the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman—but of course the Juice didn’t do these crimes because he was acquitted. While publisher Judith Regan in the New York Post justified her decision to acquire the book in part because, like Nicole, she had been a battered wife, the email newsletter Shelf Awareness reports that the controversy has raised questions among booksellers over whether they should sell this book.
The newsletter quotes Nancy Olson, owner of Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh, N.C.: “Do we take a ’stand’ on such a book, thereby sending our customers who want to buy it to our competitors? Is this a form of censorship? Or do we make it available without displaying it other than having it on the shelf?” She added, “I’m disturbed to be put in such a position. Freedom of the press notwithstanding, the way they’re marketing the book raises huge ethical questions. We all know the publishers are desperate to make money on commercial books, but this takes the cake.” If bookstores feel this way, what about libraries? Do you, my dear librarians, plan to order this distasteful opus or are you waiting for patron demand? This inquiring mind wants to know! (As for a Library Journal review, thankfully the November 30 release date makes the book too late to be reviewed in print, although we could still run an online review. That unhappy decision falls to our social sciences editor.)
I know that I will not be purchasing this until I see patron demand. And even then, we are in a large consortium so I think I might even wait to see if one of our holds gets filled from another library. I am just hoping that we won’t have a lot of requests - however, sadly I think libraries WILL get a TON of requests, because people won’t want to actually buy the book themselves. Sigh.
Comment by Rebecca — November 18, 2006 @ 7:10 pm
Rebecca, thanks for your feedback. I’m hoping the book hits the remainder tables before libraries purchase copies. Even the large chain bookstores like Borders are taking a hands off approach, selling but not promoting the book, and donating the profits to domestic violence organizations. Today’s Shelf Awareness newsletter reports that “one creative suggestion for dealing with the situation came from Rayner Krause of Southern Territory Associates, who wrote that his wife, Kathleen, suggested that ’stores that don’t want to carry the book could buy a copy and donate it to their local public library. The stores have then fulfilled their obligation to be a conduit to the dissemination of information and yet don’t have to support such a distasteful product’.” Meaning libraries have to do the dirty work?
Comment by Wilda Williams — November 20, 2006 @ 10:28 am
[…] The O.J story: NBCC member Wilda Williams, like most, is appalled. Meanwhile, fellow members Colette Bancroft and Bella Stander observe that the media circus has a ringmaster: Rupert Murdoch. […]
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