Jeff Bezos: Not Even a Dime
Written byPosted on August 31, 2007
Filed Under Amazon
Rick Simonson: “More than ever, it would then seem, it is time to publicly raise the question as to why Amazon has done nothing, absolutely nothing, in the way of overt philanthopy. Mist Place talked with various people in the non-profit community – everyone is perplexed at Amazon’s absence, its total, niggardly abdication of this role. It is perhaps only for a lack of media attention – and a kind of calling-out, or shaming – that this isn’t being addressed publicly. One person talked with knows two of the people on Amazon’s board, who know well the way of corporate giving, and say they even have gotten nowhere in inquiries. Mr. Bezos, in at least one online account of some time ago, asked about philanthropy, treated the question only in terms of his own wealth.” (Thanks, Vladimir!)
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Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan. The famed writers behind Smart Bitches, Trashy Books have written a very funny and thoughtful volume about romances, both Old Skool and New Skool. Here is a book that any smug and humorless literary manboy beating his flabby passive chest over Banville or Bolano should probably read pronto, if only for the distant possibility that he might get over himself. While the Choose Your Own Adventure segment at the end caused me to have a very disturbing dream involving Shelley Long (don't ask), Sarah and Candy did have me rethinking many of my own misperceptions when I wasn't busy laughing. They're not afraid to take on the New York Times Bok Review or even the groupthink within certain sectors of the romance community.
Alice Fantastic by Maggie Estep. This wild and highly enjoyable narrative involves two sisters (presumably, the third one was still being rented out by Chekhov), a hippie ex-junkie mother who lives with seventeen dogs, a murder, gambling, and libidinous Hollywood actresses who live in Woodstock. But this is the wonderful Maggie Estep we're talking here. And what seems at first like a quirky yarn becomes something unexpectedly moving about connectivity. What I love about Estep's work is the way that she'll juxtapose an extremely astute observation (now that you mention it, why do cab drivers always have somebody to talk with on the phone past midnight?) with an often outrageous story development.
Generosity by Richard Powers. It doesn't come out until September 29th, but Richard Powers's latest will have anyone committed to books reconsidering their literary fervor. I foresee some animosity from the vanilla critics hostile to idea-driven novels, but book bloggers, YouTube chroniclers, and MFAs would do well to plunge into this chance-taking narrative, which introduces vital questions about what the reader's relationship is with media, scientific dissection, and "creative nonfiction." Are we rats fleeing to happy cities? Or can we find the humanism within the purported plague?
Pieces for the Left Hand by J. Robert Lennon. Lennon is one of the most underrated fiction writers working today. Much as On the Night Plain proved that Lennon had a lot more in the toolbox than heartfelt (and often very funny) suburban satire, this slim but fascinating volume juxtaposes 100 small-town anecdotes -- arranged by category -- in a manner that reads, at times, like Nicholson Baker's passions for minutiae and, at other times, Stewart O'Nan's concern for psychological detail. The result is fiction that makes us wonder about whether one person's subjective view of particulars can entirely be trusted. This book never found a publisher in 2005. But thankfully, Graywolf has released it in the United States, along with Lennon's latest novel, The Castle.
Wonderful World by Javier Calvo. This wonderfully raucous volume has been completely ignored by the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. But it's probably one of the most delightful reading experiences I've had this year. Calvo cavalierly mashes up multiple genres and manages to mix up familial subtext with larger-than-life, almost cartoonish characters. (Indeed, one might argue that one mobster's penis is a character of its own in this sprawling novel.). This is not an easy thing to pull off, but Calvo makes it work. And it's helped immeasurably by Mara Faye Lethem's idiom-specific translation. (See longer post.)
The Means of Reproduction, Michelle Goldberg This thoughtful book tackles the complicated (and little discussed) subject of reproductive rights from numerous angles, which includes a number of unpleasant but necessary ones. The upshot is that there isn't a quick fix solution for declining birth rates and fundamentalist abuses. Just about every political faction has contributed to the friction. But you'll want to read this book anyway to refamiliarize yourself with the topic, but also to understand just what's occurred during the past several decades to get us where we are today. (See also podcast interview with Goldberg.)
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Interesting. When I worked at Amazon (’97 to ‘03) some of us suggested corporate giving programs that would tie into the original business of books, such as grants to aspiring writers or at least a literary prize of some kind. The excuse was always that, although money was coming in hand over fist, the company had yet to turn a profit. That was true then–only in my last couple of years there did they see the ink begin to turn from black to red. I’m not sure how consistently profitable they’ve been since I left, but they had an awfully big hole to dig out of.
Seriously, is it anyone’s business what Bezos does with his money?
Marydell: Your favorite author doesn’t happen to be Ayn Rand, by any chance, does it?
I think Simonson has a point. Plus, he uses the word “niggardly” which I’ve only seen elsewhere in a Gary Lutz story. It’s a word that, on sight, could be misunderstood, but merely means stingy or cheap.
Marydell, we’re not talking about what Bezos does personally, but about a corporation. If it’s going to be granted status as a person under the law, I think expecting it to behave humanely is perfectly reasonable.
CBO, no, though I do see some merit in laissez-faire capitalism, which does not necessarily preclude philanthropy.
James, I understand. I personally wouldn’t want to be shamed into acts of charity, so I’m not one to point fingers at others (whether person or corporation). Besides, Amazon will likely get around to sharing its wealth after the tax consequences of operating in the black start sinking in.
Charity begins at home, I guess. And I presume his home is quite exceptional.
philanthropy only happens to the extent that it will increase profits, if you are a publicly-owned corporation, so yeah, it is because there wasn’t enough public pressure
if you are a publicly-owned corporation you exist to increase profits so that investors will gain a return on their investment. if philanthropy will increase profits (by way of better public-image, etc.) then it will happen, if it will not increase profits, it will not happen.
just support independently owned companies.