Sold Out in Pune

My Indian (as in the world's most populous country) daughter Pooja and I were chatting this morning....until she got (and took) a telephone call while chatting with her father in Pelican Rapids. Pooja lives in Pune, Maharashtra. Pune is seventy-seventh on the list of the world's one hundred most populous cities. Pooja wanted to know if people here were as excited about Bill Clinton's memoir "My Life" as they are in Pune where all available copies have been sold in the first twelve hours. I checked the online catalog of the Pelican Rapids Public Library and found there are no copies of the book in our collection. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead did publish a story about interest there and for those Indians and others interested, here it is:

Browsers, few buyers: 'My Life' no Harry Potter for area bookstores

By Brittany Lawonn blawonn@forumcomm.com
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead - 06/23/2004

While bookstores in some major cities stayed open past midnight Tuesday to give customers an early chance to buy President Clinton's new memoir, area booksellers and customers didn't share in the enthusiasm.
Book buyers in the Fargo-Moorhead area were offered large displays and discounts for "My Life" at area stores, but had to purchase the 957-page memoir during regular business hours.

Greg Danz, owner of Zandbroz Variety in downtown Fargo, said while a couple of customers ordered the book before it went on sale Tuesday, he decided not to extend his store hours because he didn't feel it would attract extra customers.

"I could have stayed open past midnight, but I didn't think anybody cared that much," Danz said.

The book, displayed in several locations throughout the store, attracted several customers to look at it, but few to purchase it, Danz said.


Fargo ranks three hundred thirteenth on the list of United States cities by population.
Pelican Rapids is two hundred sixteenth on the list of Minnesota cities by population.

I guess we should not hold our breath waiting for Bill come to Barnes & Noble in Fargo for a book signing. If i were Bill I'd go to Pune first. Ask for Pooja from Pelican when you get there Bill. She would make an excellent campaign manager.