We Won't Burn it. Yet.

Irreligiliuous (sic) progeny captured irony on a cell phone. Barnes and Nobel has about 20% of its shelves filled with Christian books in subcategories like Inspiration, Bibles, and God/Self Help.

J overheard a staffer training a new staffer explain that the biggest problem in re-shelving universe is that the Christians go to the modest 30 inch shelf of books labeled Gay/Lesbian, and they turn the books around so others can’t read the titles.

Not believing in the whole vengeance is Mine thing, J promptly moved some books from the section labeled Bibles to the section labeled Religious Fiction.

I asked a staffer to help me locate Jeff Sharlet’s “The Family” and was told they didn’t have it but would let me know if they obtained a copy. Not that they’d order me a copy. I suspected it was another Christian Conspiracy, but put that down to my paranoia, coupled with my understanding of why the Internet is killing bookstores (or at least mega corporate ones) like any other self-interested big corporate enterprise in our fascist state.

Then I got this email:

Dear ____,

Thank you for your order. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to fill your order for:

1 copy of Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, 0060560053

We are sorry that we were unable to complete this order and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

If you would like to place a new order for this item, you are welcome to call us at the number below. Please reference the order number indicated above.

Sincerely,

The Booksellers at Barnes + Noble Booksellers #2733

5500 Grossmont Ctr Dr Suite 331

La Mesa, CA 91942

619-667-2870

This e-mail was generated by an automated process. Please do not reply to it.

A bookstore that is “unable” to order a book for a customer, and I have no need to know why. I ordered it on Amazon during a commercial in the Maddow show. This email is, I now believe, one step away from burning our books. So that’s the last time I darken Barnes and Ignoble’s door, and you should too.