Semi-random thoughts on the preorder books now before the apocalypse news

I usually leave news like this for my series "Signs the economy is bad." However, it affects the book world, and it seems to keep making noise nonstop lately, so I decided to highlight it on its own. Due to the COVID pandemic there are plenty of issues with logistics and supply chains. These issues are affecting bookstores and the publishing world. Social media is full of bookstores, booksellers, publishers, agents, and so on urging and pleading with people to pre-order anything and everything now as soon as possible to avoid shipping issues later.  This article, one of many by now, in Quartz goes over the issue. Keep in mind though that this applies to new books mostly. If you are like me, and you do not feel serious FOMO ("fear of losing out") and go into apoplexy if you do not read the newest book ASAP, then this new book supply chain issue may not be as big a deal to you. It is not to me. I will give you some reasons. 

 

One, I have access to libraries. I can access my work library for academic books and a very good collection of graphic novels, and I can access my public library for the rest of the fluffy reading I enjoy. There are plenty of books on their shelves I can read, and often I get the chance to review and highlight an older book others may have missed. In addition, I can give a shout out to my local public library because they often have some of the latest and most current in the New Books shelf pretty quickly. Naturally, this could vary depending on the logistics issues, but so far not too shabby. But even if they did not have the absolute latest, the libraries still offer plenty to read. 

 

Two, and I am speaking for myself here, the majority of books I buy are secondhand. I appreciate being able to get books on interesting topics and in good condition for a much cheaper price. It is not that I do not buy new books, but to be honest, I am buying much less new books. I just do not feel the need to fall for the hype of new books, and I see no reason to pay the top prices when I can wait until they hit the library or in some cases eventually hit the used books market. 

 

Three, and this is a bit more unique to folks like librarians and book reviewers, I have access to plenty of advanced reader copies of upcoming books. So very often I get to read those new books people are trampling each other to get before they hit the bookstores. As I said, this is a bit more unique to librarians and book reviewers; the average reader may not even be aware of things like book galleys. 

Hey, if reading new books is a priority for you, then by all means, pre-order early and as much as possible do it via your local independent store; deity of choice knows they can use the business. But otherwise, there are plenty of books to read that are relatively easy to access, and thus no need to raise your blood pressure wondering if that one book will get there on time or not. 

And that's my two pennies.