Alternatives to Amazon

I recently learned from a BookMen member that Amazon has removed some LGBTQ stuff from its website and discontinued some benefits for its employees. He suggested that I stop linking to Amazon for the books we are reading and suggest alternatives.

As someone who has seriously considered canceling his own subscription to The Washington Post after 40+ years because of Jeff Bezos’ decision to put his business interests ahead of journalism (and decency), I am very sympathetic to the idea of no longer linking our reading list titles to Amazon. Sadly, however, there just is no other single source for basic info about so many books, so I reluctantly will continue using the site for that purpose.

However, there are many alternative ways to acquire the books we discuss:

— The Montgomery County Public Library system often has multiple copies of the books we discuss. You do not have to be a resident of the county or even the state to borrow them; they’re available, free of charge, to anyone in the DMV with a library card via interlibrary loan. Besides the savings, another advantage of going that route is that the more often LGBTQ titles are borrowed, the stronger the case libraries can make for ordering more. 🌈

— ABE Books is mainly known for selling used books, but it also offers new titles.

— AllStora (formerly known as ShopQueer) pledges that when you buy any book from them—and not just LGBTQ works—the author will earn double what they receive from other booksellers.

— Barnes and Noble

— Bookshop.org now offers e-books.

__ Good Reads (also owned by Amazon, alas)

__ Little District Books, a queer-owned Washington, D.C.-based independent bookstore that celebrates LGBTQ+ authors and stories.

— Of course, there are many other independent bookstores in the DMV, such as Politics and Prose (to name just one of many).

Lavender Con is coming!

Little District Books, Washington, DC's all-queer independent bookstore, will be hosting Lavender Con 2025 on June 14-15; tickets will go on sale on March 1. The festival celebrates LGBTQIA+ authors and stories; I'll update this item when the venue and other details are announced.