Kudos to James Patterson

Perennial best-selling author James Patterson is offering one million dollars in grants to independent bookstores. Each grant will be $2000-$15,000 and will go to utilitarian improvements including upgraded computers and store furnishings. In one case, the money will go towards the purchase of a used van that will allow the store to reach out to the community with author events and book fairs.

Patterson has been concerned for some time that the advent of e-books coupled with the availability of heavily discounted books online would lead to the demise of even more independent bookstores. He decided to take matters into his own hands after he was unsuccessful in persuading the U.S. government to provide cash to the independent bookstore community, as it had done with Wall Street and the auto industry.

As Patterson states: “I’m rich; I don’t need to sell more books. But I do think it’s essential for kids to read more broadly. And people just need to go into bookstores more. It’s not top of mind as much as it used to be.”

For the full text of the article, please see http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/bus....