Shapter's Documentary Should Be Required Viewing

I watched a documentary, directed by Andrew Shapter of Austin, 
recently and recommend it to everyone. Get it on Hulu or Netflix or 
the library or somewhere. Though not about the publishing industry, 
the entire documentary parallels it. 

Interviews include Branford Marsalis, Bonnie Raitt, Dave Matthews, 
Eryka Badu, Questlove, Eric Clapton, and Doyle Bramhall, among others, 
including many former major music label professionals who have now 
moved to smaller labels. 

Dave Matthews discusses a lot about how radio and the major music 
labels are now like publishing houses, that they can only take and 
produce what they feel is either from an already big name or from 
someone who looks like they will be mainstream. It takes years for 
someone new, with new material, with original writing and 
performance skills, to be heard. Doyle Bramhall said the same, eluding 
that he was becoming depressed with a big label who couldn't figure 
out how to market him and wanted to change his whole concept, how 
he refused and went on his own again, and how it wasn't until 
Eric Clapton recognized hiw work that things changed.

Both Branford Marsalis and Bonnie Raitt discussed that it is based on 
appearance and allowing yourself to be marketable to how the major 
labels want you to be for you to make it these days in the industry, 
or at least break in. Talent and originality won't cut it. I remember 
Branford making a remark at around the 28-29 minute mark that kind 
of made me raise my eyebrows, but I can't recall it now. 

There is some fantastic music throughout the documentary as well, 
so watch it for no other reason that that, but the comparison to big 
publishing houses, how the market is changing, how new and original 
work will go unnoticed, or at least take a lot of time to get noticed, 
how the public is now expected to react to the changing market, say 
ebooks and such, is all highly recognizable.

Some Books You Just Can't Let Go

I was looking at a line of books earlier on one of our shelves and
noticed a favorite of mine.

The book is "The National Gallery Address Book." That's right, it's 
an address book, one I have never written a word in. I found it 
roughly fifteen years ago on a bargain stand for a buck fifty. 
It's 8 inches tall and 10 inches wide, with beautiful cover art by 
Canaletto, "Interior of the Rotunda at Ranelagh." But you wouldn't 
know that by just opening the cover, because when you open the 
cover and pass over the first completely blank page, you next 
stumble onto a page that starts with an X and several letters 
upside down.

Every bit of art, which begins every letter, and every address and 
note page are printed upside down, or right side up if you turn the 
book over and upside down. I thought what a strange find and 
easily paid for it. I may never write in it. My other address book 
is still working fine.

Who else has books like these in their library?