Anne Tryon Adams

This is the only bookseller memoir that I can recall which hired a "ghost" to actually write the thing. Her supposed claim to fame is originating the concept of a paperback swap shop, where the books are offered at 1/2 price and traded back or in at 1/4 of the original retail, like every other amateur in the 1970's and 1980's. These shops were completely devoid of interest to any real book person, as they consisted of nothing but scruffy general mass market fiction and romance novels. She claims she was actually able to franchise this lame concept to many other people. She is constantly complaining of money shortages and overwork, while constantly hiring what seems to me is unnecessary middle management and paying for extraneous 'consultants'. It was more than 2/3 of the way through the book, before she discusses hiring someone to write a business plan. She is constantly visiting family, and going to the beach and skiing for weeks at a time. In retrospect, this book seems like a review of how not to succeed in business.… (mehr)