[nesfa-reading-group] Davy by Pangborn NOT available in any Massachusetts library

[tracy at windweaver.com]

Wes, you assume that everyone can pay, what you deem a small amount (and 
which is a small amount for most people), for books or go to the NESFA 
room.

I am homebound on Medicaid (with six chronic conditions), which means I 
attempt to support myself (but can't, and I'm out of credit and means to 
pay my bills) on poverty level income. I can rarely go anywhere, 
including doctor's appointments.

Since I don't attend the book club every month (I won't be there in 
December but have intended to do so in January with Davy), I don't 
expect the group to adapt to my particular needs, which is to have a 
rule of: available-library-books-at-least-in-the-Boston-area. But Gloria 
just wrote that book-buying is not in her budget right now, and there 
may be others in the same situation.

Almost all of the many book clubs I attend have a 
books-available-in-libraries-only rule. At least four do, and I don't 
know about the others.

As an author who gets minimal royalties now (the typical 5% of sale 
price on sales of new books, none for used books, very small amount now 
after my books have been in print for 35 years), I completely urge 
people to support authors by buying their books at retail price.  But if 
I hadn't spent much of my life being an author, teaching adults and 
earning only a small income, I would be in the position to keep buying 
every book I read for book clubs, currently about five per month.

Right now, the money I spend on books is entirely related the books I 
teach online through Lexington Community ed. Winter term it will be 
Ursula Le Guin's Dispossessed (5 weeks, starting Thursday evening 
January 16 - please sign up 
https://lexingtoncommunityed.org/class/huld/) and later, Cervantes' Don 
Quixote, book one.

Since I won't be at the December meeting, I hope at least one of you 
will make my voice heard in regard to the library-books-only options.

Thanks for "listening"
(And happy Thanksgiving)

Tracy Marks
https://bsky.app/profile/tracymar.bsky.social

--------------------------

On 2024-11-28 15:44, Wesley Brodsky wrote:

> Hello Everybody;
> 
> In my opinion, and my opinion only, it should not be too difficult to 
> find the books we read. I have researched all the books proposed with 
> "Davy"; with the results below.
> 
> For Hardcover and Paperback:
> Used prices include delivery, if any. New prices do not include 
> delivery because that depends on your Amazon account.
> 
> Spindle's End (2000)
> Robin McKinley
> All the creatures of the forest and field and riverbank knew the infant 
> was special. She was the princess, spirited away from the evil fairy 
> Pernicia on her name-day. But the curse was cast: Rosie was fated to 
> prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a 
> poisoned sleep-a slumber from which no one would be able to rouse her.
> OCLN* Available: Whitman Public Library, Canton Public Library
> In NESFA Library
> Available in Kindle {$10}, Audiobook {$19}, Hardcover (New {$12} & 
> Used{$7}), Paperback (New {$15} & Used {$8}) from Amazon
> 
> The Breaking of Northwall (1980)
> Paul O. Williams
> One thousand years after a devastating and chaotic series of nuclear 
> exchanges, all that is left of the United States of America are 
> scattered, warring tribes and small city-states. One of the latter is 
> Pelbar--proud, civilized, and intolerant of change and new ideas. 
> Rebels and troublemakers are sentenced to a year of exile at the 
> massive midwestern fortress of Northwall, defending Pelbar against the 
> fierce Shumai and Sentani tribes. Restless and brilliant Jestak is a 
> visionary who has seen and learned too much in his distant travels to 
> be content with life in Pelbarigan. During his exile at Northwall, he 
> makes contact with Pelbar's age-old enemies and risks all to rescue his 
> beloved Tia from nomads armed with long-lost weapons from before the 
> atomic holocaust.
> None in OCLN*
> In NESFA Library
> Available in Kindle {$13}, Paperback (New {$14} & Used{Cheapest ~$5}) 
> from Amazon
> 
> Davy (1964)
> Edgar Pangborn
> Davy is set in the far future of our world, in the fourth century after 
> the collapse of what we describe as the twentieth-century civilisation. 
> In a land turned upside-down and backwards by the results of scientific 
> unwisdom, Davy and his fellow Ramblers are carefree outcasts, whose 
> bawdy, joyous adventures among the dead ashes of Old-Time culture make 
> a novel which has been hailed as "a frightening, ribald, poignant look 
> at the imaginary future," as "this chilling and fascinating book," as 
> "superb entertainment - unique," as "so unusual as the make it both 
> refreshing and thought provoking."
> None in OCLN*
> In NESFA Library
> English Available in Hardcover (New {$30} & Used {Cheapest ~$25})
> 
> *OCLN = Old Colony Library Network
> 
> We can discuss the next meeting, if it pleases us.
> -Wes
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: reading-group <reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org> on behalf 
> of Aleksander Slominski (NY10) <ALEKNY10 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 12:53 PM
> To: NESFA Reading Group
> Subject: Re: [nesfa-reading-group] Davy by Pangborn NOT available in 
> any Massachusetts library
> 
> seems to be available in Queens:
> https://www.queenslibrary.org/book/title/552759
> 
> best,
> 
> Alek
> 
> On Wed, Nov 27, 2024 at 12:48 PM Wesley Brodsky 
> <wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu<mailto:wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu>> wrote:
> The NYPL site you gave has an option "Request Scan" for people with a 
> user account.
> I don't know if someone with an account has to pay, or if there is a 
> limit on size.
> -Wes
> ________________________________________
> From: reading-group 
> <reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org>> 
> on behalf of Gloria Lucia Albasi 
> <trebbiana61 at gmail.com<mailto:trebbiana61 at gmail.com>>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 12:22 PM
> To: NESFA Reading Group
> Subject: Re: [nesfa-reading-group] Davy by Pangborn NOT available in 
> any Massachusetts library
> 
> FYI:
> New discovery: DAVY is available in two formats in the NYPL Research 
> Catalog:
> (1) Ballantine Edition in microform;
> (2) Garland Edition on paper (I think).
> 
> Both must be requested in advance. See link below.
> 
> In theory I can sit in The Rose Room and read the book. It's not 
> Proust.
> 
> Also in the recent decade or so public libraries have been shifting a 
> little towards ebooks, and newer or past neglected genres. There is 
> only so much shelf and inventory space budget wise. If library patrons 
> haven't checked out DAVY in years, then there's an increased likelihood 
> of this title being removed from circulating collections. IMHO.
> 
> Of course, this is where specialist collections enter: NESFA, MITSFS, 
> the universities receiving libraries & papers of prominent genre 
> authors.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> Gloria
> 
> https://www.nypl.org/research/research-catalog/search?q=Davy%2C 
> Pangborn<https://www.nypl.org/research/research-catalog/search?q=Davy%2C%20Pangborn>
> 
> On Nov 27, 2024, at 12:02 PM, Wesley Brodsky 
> <wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu<mailto:wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu>> wrote:
> 
> The Old Colony Library Network lists no copies.
> 
> Amazon (not Prime) seems to have a used version available for $9.99 
> shipped.
> Beware; some versions are in Italian, and Amazon often mixes up this 
> book with "West if the Sun" by the same author.
> I think it is unusual that a novel with these awards is so hard to 
> find.
> During the next Reading Group meeting, we can discuss if we want to 
> choose an alternative or not.
> Anyone who has already bought a copy should let us know, since that 
> will influence the decision,
> 
> -Wes
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: reading-group 
> <reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org>> 
> on behalf of Wesley Brodsky 
> <wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu<mailto:wesbrodsky at alum.mit.edu>>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 11:36 AM
> To: NESFA Reading Group
> Subject: Re: [nesfa-reading-group] Davy by Pangborn NOT available in 
> any Massachusetts library
> 
> a copy of Davy by Pangborn is in the NESFA library (I looked)
> -WES
> ________________________________________
> From: reading-group 
> <reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org>> 
> on behalf of Richard Schwartz via reading-group 
> <reading-group at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group at lists.nesfa.org>>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 10:24 AM
> To: NESFA Reading Group
> Cc: Richard Schwartz; NESFA Reading Group
> Subject: Re: [nesfa-reading-group]  Davy by Pangborn NOT available in 
> any Massachusetts library
> 
> I've been reading "Davy" from Kindle Unlimited.
> 
> Richard
> 
> Nov 27, 2024, at 9:55 AM, cjhi 
> newcastle2.com<http://newcastle2.com><http://newcastle2.com> 
> <cjhi at newcastle2.com<mailto:cjhi at newcastle2.com><mailto:cjhi at newcastle2.com<mailto:cjhi at newcastle2.com>>> 
> wrote:
> 
> BPL has an in-house-only copy (or maybe two; their cataloging system is 
> ... interesting).
> 
> I would be astounded if MITSFS (mitsfs.mit.edu<http://mitsfs.mit.edu>) 
> did not have a copy on reserve. (It's also likely to have a borrowing 
> copy, but borrowing costs $15/year or $5 for 3 months.)
> 
> It's very likely that NESFA has a copy.
> 
> /CHip
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: reading-group 
> <reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group-bounces at lists.nesfa.org>> 
> on behalf of David G. Grubbs 
> <dggrubbs at gmail.com<mailto:dggrubbs at gmail.com>>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 9:45 AM
> To: NESFA Reading Group 
> <reading-group at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group at lists.nesfa.org>>
> Subject: Re: [nesfa-reading-group] Davy by Pangborn NOT available in 
> any Massachusetts library
> 
> I have a copy of Davy, which I got from the Commonwealth catalog a few 
> weeks ago. I will read it and return it soon, so maybe you can request 
> it and wait on the queue.
> 
> On Wed, Nov 27, 2024 at 2:17 AM 
> <tracy at windweaver.com<mailto:tracy at windweaver.com><mailto:tracy at windweaver.com<mailto:tracy at windweaver.com>>> 
> wrote:
> 
> This group is discussing Davy January 3, so I thought it was time to 
> order it from the library, since there's often a wait.
> 
> HOWEVER, there are NO copies of Davy in the Minuteman Library Network 
> and NO requestable copies of Davy in the Commonwealth catalog for all 
> of Massachusetts. The cheapest used copy on Amazon is $10.99, but most 
> are a lot more. (Even on eBay, all copies for sale are $11 or more.)
> 
> However, I did find two copies on Abebooks for just under $10 including 
> shipping. If I wasn't barely living on a survival level due to a 
> lifelong medical condition, I wouldn't have an issue with buying it, 
> but I won't have the credit to do so until January.
> 
> I can't read a book online - but there's not even a Kindle version 
> anyway, though there appears to be a collected works of Pangborn on 
> kindle.
> 
> I wish we'd only choose books for which printed copies are available 
> from the library.
> 
> Tracy
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Join Zoom Meeting
> https://us06web.zoom.us/j/94460014978?pwd=a1BFQndDa1NYTnlNcUVCMU95dWdNZz09
> 
> Meeting ID: 944 6001 4978
> Passcode: 244476
> 
> Recurring Meeting; Generally the first Friday of every month at 7 PM
> See https://www.nesfa.org/events/nesfa-reading-group/ for group info.
> _______________________________________________
> reading-group mailing list
> reading-group at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group at lists.nesfa.org><mailto:reading-group at lists.nesfa.org<mailto:reading-group at lists.nesfa.org>>
> https://listsmgt.nesfa.org/mailman/listinfo/reading-group
> _______________________________________________
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Join Zoom Meeting
> https://us06web.zoom.us/j/94460014978?pwd=a1BFQndDa1NYTnlNcUVCMU95dWdNZz09
> 
> Meeting ID: 944 6001 4978
> Passcode: 244476
> 
> Recurring Meeting; Generally the first Friday of every month at 7 PM
> See https://www.nesfa.org/events/nesfa-reading-group/ for group info.
> _______________________________________________
> reading-group mailing list
> reading-group at lists.nesfa.org
> https://listsmgt.nesfa.org/mailman/listinfo/reading-group
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listsmgt.nesfa.org/pipermail/reading-group/attachments/20241128/87e4db52/attachment-0001.html>