I finally saw the new Michael Burlingame biography Abraham Lincoln: A Life in Border’s yesterday. It’s hefty, but was sealed in shrink-wrap. I know many folks would rip that plastic off the slipcase to get a look at the books, figuring if the store puts them on display they want you to look at them. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I have mine on order from Amazon – it lists for $125 and was discounted to $82.88 when I ordered it. Shipping was free, and I cashed in some credit card bonus points for a $50 Amazon gift card, so the whole 9.3 lb book cost me about $33. But it won’t ship until the second week of February at the earliest. Have any of you read or at least flipped through the book?
I’ve got to add that I’ve not seen the book in Barnes & Noble. I think that carrying this book in inventory at a retail outlet is probably not a good business decision, and perhaps explains why Borders is doing so poorly. But then, maybe they only had it because they got screwed on a special order.
Harry Smeltzer
Bull Runnings 
That’s good news, as we all know there are two subjects that need more attention from historians – Lincoln and Gettysburg….
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Harry,
Your last idea is a distinct possibility. I usually don’t have a problem getting even $100 books as review copies but JHP is stonewalling me on this one so far. Darn. I remember it was very briefly down to $75 on Amazon in the pre-pub days. I should have purchased it then.
Now you just have to hope Amazon gets it to you in good condition. Their packaging is often dreadful these days, esp. with paperbacks and that damn plastic shrink method they use. I have pictures in my mind of a 9 lb box set sliding around loose in a big box…. :-(
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Craig,
I have to admit to having purchased more than my share of AL books the past year. Hopefully this will be the last one for a while.
Drew,
I’ve never really solicited for review copies before. Well, I did I once when I got wind of a project, which turned into proofing the manuscript so I guess that doesn’t count. Maybe that’s why I don’t get too many books for review via the blog. In fact, I haven’t had one since General Lee’s Army, and that was only because another blogger put the publisher on to me.
Oh, and thanks for giving me one more thing to worry about.
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Amazon usually packages well but the darn delivery service can tear up the items also. I have mostly received my items in good condition from Amazon and they are easy to return damaged items to and receive a refund or a better copy. But I second that they can be very tough on paperbacks. I made the mistake of ordering a paperback mixed with hardcover books. The hardcovers came in fine luckily but the paperback was all beat up.
Keep up the good work,
Chris
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