Walking

New book!

Fear not, I haven't broken my book buying embargo. Well, not exactly; this one is not a book for reading - not like a novel or an autobiography, anyway - it is a book for getting us out of the house at weekends so we can experience a bit more of the Lakes rather than sticking to the walks that we know.

I ordered the book from The Big Green Bookshop for a couple of reasons. Firstly, boringly, I suspect they pay their tax. I say this because they aren't a big company and the people who pay their taxes in this country are people on PAYE and small businesses. As soon as you're self-assessed - or, more accurately - have access to an accountant, tax avoidance begins (although this is legal). Tax evasion is the domain of big business like, for example, Amazon.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Amazon. I love the convenience, the service, the wishlists, the next day delivery, the reviews - particularly the reviews - and the fact I can have my MP3s before the CD has even been posted.

But that love comes at a cost because I also love bookshops, I mean REALLY LOVE bookshops. And, of I keep buying all my books from Amazon, those bookshops are going to disappear. That's my second reason.

So, yes, it might cost me a little more to buy from a bookshop rather than Amazon but why do you think Amazon are so aggressive on price? I was driving through London recently in need of diesel and all of the old petrol stations from my youth have gone, driven out of business by the supermarkets. And I hate that. And that is what Amazon are doing to bookshops.

Can one man make a difference? Probably not. Indeed, is that one man committing to never buying a book from Amazon again? Probably, regrettably not. But for now, I'm going to stick to bookshops because I want to do my bit and enjoy them while they last.

PS There is a third reason: The Big Green Bookshop send out their books in these totally sci-fi envelopes!