Bookseller Danny Caine Publishes “How to Resist Amazon and Why”

On Tuesday, March 16, Danny Caine, owner of The Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kansas, published his book How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Privacy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future! with Microcosm Publishing.

Caine’s book was first created as a zine, How to Resist Amazon and Why, with over 10,000 copies sold. In it, Caine speaks to what he sees as the dangers of Amazon and the need for consumers to resist its growing power. The New Yorker featured Caine, the book, and his concerns in a profile published this week.

Booksellers interested in hearing more can register to attend a discussion about the book and strategies to help small businesses thrive in the face of tech monopolies. The session, hosted by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, will be held at 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT on March 31 and will feature author Caine and Joe Biel, the founder of Microcosm Publishing.

As always, booksellers should refrain from discussions of boycotts, and focus instead on educating consumers on the importance of buying local and the differences between buying local vs. buying from Amazon. ABA’s #BoxedOut campaign, launched October 2020, is an example of how to approach the subjects of the cost and consequences of shopping with Amazon, the impact of consumer choices, and the importance of independent bookstores to communities.

In the meantime, ABA is focusing on the bigger issue of Amazon’s threat as a monopoly. Read about ABA’s recent white paper delivered to attorneys general across the country in this issue of BTW.