“SFBC shutting down”

[Lynn McGuire]

“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/

“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14

"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works

"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."

"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."

"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."

"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."

I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

Lynn

[Garrett Wollman]

Post by Lynn McGuire
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

-GAWollman

[Ahasuerus]

Post by Garrett Wollman

Post by Lynn McGuire
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

Certain business models can take a long time to be phased out. For
example, telegram services are still not quite dead (see this list of
companies --
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwide_use_of_telegrams_by_country).
AT&T shut down its 411 service just 2 years ago -- see
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-08/at-t-to-end-411-directory-saying-farewell-to-telephone-operator-era

I wonder how paper books will fare over the next 50 years.

[Lynn McGuire]

Post by Ahasuerus

Post by Garrett Wollman

I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

Certain business models can take a long time to be phased out. For
example, telegram services are still not quite dead (see this list of
companies -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Worldwide_use_of_telegrams_by_country). AT&T shut down its 411 service
just 2 years ago -- see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/
articles/2022-11-08/at-t-to-end-411-directory-saying-farewell-to-
telephone-operator-era
I wonder how paper books will fare over the next 50 years.

I would say that over half of dead tree books that I buy from Big River
are POD (print on demand). I suspect that MMPB is going away and will
be replaced with POD trade paperbacks for the novelty of them.

The real question is, is POD going away ? The POD machines are
reputedly high maintenance and not totally automated, yet. From what I
can tell, Big River has over a dozen POD machines across the USA which
cost well over a million USA Dollars each.

Lynn

[Paul S Person]

On Fri, 3 Jan 2025 18:39:31 -0600, Lynn McGuire

Post by Lynn McGuire

Post by Ahasuerus

Post by Garrett Wollman

I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

Certain business models can take a long time to be phased out. For
example, telegram services are still not quite dead (see this list of
companies -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Worldwide_use_of_telegrams_by_country). AT&T shut down its 411 service
just 2 years ago -- see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/
articles/2022-11-08/at-t-to-end-411-directory-saying-farewell-to-
telephone-operator-era
I wonder how paper books will fare over the next 50 years.

I would say that over half of dead tree books that I buy from Big River
are POD (print on demand). I suspect that MMPB is going away and will
be replaced with POD trade paperbacks for the novelty of them.
The real question is, is POD going away ? The POD machines are
reputedly high maintenance and not totally automated, yet. From what I
can tell, Big River has over a dozen POD machines across the USA which
cost well over a million USA Dollars each.

The local drug store had one for a few months, but it apparently took
up more space than it was worth. IIRC and understood the signage
correctly, you could write your own book, format it properly, and
print it out. As well as, no doubt, a catalog of books written by
others.

That drug store is going away, which is a great loss. According to the
employee who advised me of this, it is because they lost their lease.
But they didn't have much stock (the parent company is just emerging
from bankruptcy so stock requires cash) and so can't have been doing
much business. Well, except the Pharmacy, I suppose.

[Lynn McGuire]

Post by Paul S Person
On Fri, 3 Jan 2025 18:39:31 -0600, Lynn McGuire

Post by Lynn McGuire

Post by Ahasuerus

Post by Garrett Wollman

I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

Certain business models can take a long time to be phased out. For
example, telegram services are still not quite dead (see this list of
companies -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Worldwide_use_of_telegrams_by_country). AT&T shut down its 411 service
just 2 years ago -- see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/
articles/2022-11-08/at-t-to-end-411-directory-saying-farewell-to-
telephone-operator-era
I wonder how paper books will fare over the next 50 years.

I would say that over half of dead tree books that I buy from Big River
are POD (print on demand). I suspect that MMPB is going away and will
be replaced with POD trade paperbacks for the novelty of them.
The real question is, is POD going away ? The POD machines are
reputedly high maintenance and not totally automated, yet. From what I
can tell, Big River has over a dozen POD machines across the USA which
cost well over a million USA Dollars each.

The local drug store had one for a few months, but it apparently took
up more space than it was worth. IIRC and understood the signage
correctly, you could write your own book, format it properly, and
print it out. As well as, no doubt, a catalog of books written by
others.
That drug store is going away, which is a great loss. According to the
employee who advised me of this, it is because they lost their lease.
But they didn't have much stock (the parent company is just emerging
from bankruptcy so stock requires cash) and so can't have been doing
much business. Well, except the Pharmacy, I suppose.

The Amazon POD machines are the size of the drugstore. Supposedly they
print, collate, print the cover, apply the glue to the collation, glue
the cover to the collation, cut the book to the appropriate size using a
guillotine.

The book covers are made on separate machines feeding to the process.
The collations are B&W, the covers are high definition four color.

Lynn

[Paul S Person]

On Sat, 4 Jan 2025 16:41:07 -0600, Lynn McGuire

Post by Lynn McGuire

Post by Paul S Person
On Fri, 3 Jan 2025 18:39:31 -0600, Lynn McGuire

Post by Lynn McGuire

Post by Ahasuerus

Post by Garrett Wollman

I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I wrote a blog post more than a decade ago about how the book-club
business model no longer made any sense, and I am quite surprised that
it took the private-equity investors so long to come to the same
conclusion.

Certain business models can take a long time to be phased out. For
example, telegram services are still not quite dead (see this list of
companies -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Worldwide_use_of_telegrams_by_country). AT&T shut down its 411 service
just 2 years ago -- see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/
articles/2022-11-08/at-t-to-end-411-directory-saying-farewell-to-
telephone-operator-era
I wonder how paper books will fare over the next 50 years.

I would say that over half of dead tree books that I buy from Big River
are POD (print on demand). I suspect that MMPB is going away and will
be replaced with POD trade paperbacks for the novelty of them.
The real question is, is POD going away ? The POD machines are
reputedly high maintenance and not totally automated, yet. From what I
can tell, Big River has over a dozen POD machines across the USA which
cost well over a million USA Dollars each.

The local drug store had one for a few months, but it apparently took
up more space than it was worth. IIRC and understood the signage
correctly, you could write your own book, format it properly, and
print it out. As well as, no doubt, a catalog of books written by
others.
That drug store is going away, which is a great loss. According to the
employee who advised me of this, it is because they lost their lease.
But they didn't have much stock (the parent company is just emerging
from bankruptcy so stock requires cash) and so can't have been doing
much business. Well, except the Pharmacy, I suppose.

The Amazon POD machines are the size of the drugstore. Supposedly they
print, collate, print the cover, apply the glue to the collation, glue
the cover to the collation, cut the book to the appropriate size using a
guillotine.
The book covers are made on separate machines feeding to the process.
The collations are B&W, the covers are high definition four color.

This one wasn't that big, but it still occupied a lot of floor space.

And, in case I wasn't clear, it also provided covers, which it
printed. I think, if you did your own book, you could provide the
cover art.

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.
Lynn

I can still tell you what my membership number was for many years, until
they sold I guess. (I won't, but I can). In the post-Amazon years,
I would pretty much buy only the omnibi or art/comic offerings, but
still many fond memories.

[Tony Nance]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Lynn McGuire
“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.
Lynn

I can still tell you what my membership number was for many years, until
they sold I guess. (I won't, but I can). In the post-Amazon years,
I would pretty much buy only the omnibi or art/comic offerings, but
still many fond memories.

Same here. When I first started reading this group in the mid-1990s, i
quickly learned that I'd had a non-standard intro to written SF, and
that I had missed a lot of the common classics most others had read.

SFBC was my primary way of "catching up", including their awesome
introductory deal at the time. I also greatly appreciated Andrew
Wheeler's contributions and insights here in rasfw over the many years
he was here.

I haven't been a member for years, but I'm sad to see it go,
Tony

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by Tony Nance

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.
Lynn

I can still tell you what my membership number was for many years, until
they sold I guess. (I won't, but I can). In the post-Amazon years,
I would pretty much buy only the omnibi or art/comic offerings, but
still many fond memories.

Same here. When I first started reading this group in the mid-1990s, i
quickly learned that I'd had a non-standard intro to written SF, and
that I had missed a lot of the common classics most others had read.
SFBC was my primary way of "catching up", including their awesome
introductory deal at the time. I also greatly appreciated Andrew
Wheeler's contributions and insights here in rasfw over the many years
he was here.
I haven't been a member for years, but I'm sad to see it go,
Tony

Interestingly, I never dropped out -- they just eventually stopped sending
me packets. I guess I wasn't profitable enough at the end. Somewhere
I have a stack of their booklets from the 70s onward when they still did
their own art.

I wonder if Columbia House is still around -- they chased me for years trying
to get me to renew.

[Paul S Person]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

“SFBC shutting downâ€?
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.â€?
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Duneâ€? was the last book I bought
from it.
Lynn

I can still tell you what my membership number was for many years, until
they sold I guess. (I won't, but I can). In the post-Amazon years,
I would pretty much buy only the omnibi or art/comic offerings, but
still many fond memories.

Same here. When I first started reading this group in the mid-1990s, i
quickly learned that I'd had a non-standard intro to written SF, and
that I had missed a lot of the common classics most others had read.
SFBC was my primary way of "catching up", including their awesome
introductory deal at the time. I also greatly appreciated Andrew
Wheeler's contributions and insights here in rasfw over the many years
he was here.
I haven't been a member for years, but I'm sad to see it go,
Tony

Interestingly, I never dropped out -- they just eventually stopped sending
me packets. I guess I wasn't profitable enough at the end. Somewhere
I have a stack of their booklets from the 70s onward when they still did
their own art.

After the Davis refunds, I had so many books backed up that I limited
my purchases to two books a year (at least as a goal). I eventually
got a letter complaining of that. That may (in addition to the S&H
cost) have helped prompt me to resign, as an act of mercy toward an
old friend.

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
I wonder if Columbia House is still around -- they chased me for years trying
to get me to renew.

Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

[Scott Dorsey]

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.
--scott

[Scott Lurndal]

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

[Paul S Person]

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

If you are referring to /9 Symphonien/, it's available on CD as well.
I listen to it when it comes up on my Final Playlist.

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

If you are referring to /9 Symphonien/, it's available on CD as well.
I listen to it when it comes up on my Final Playlist.

I'm no spring chicken, but I'm not ready to make a Final Playlist yet.

[Scott Dorsey]

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

If you are referring to /9 Symphonien/, it's available on CD as well.
I listen to it when it comes up on my Final Playlist.

There are actually two von Karajan sets, the 1963 set and the one from
the 1980s. The 1963 set was had the later symphonies performed much
slower, but the recording quality was good. The set from the 1980s had
better tempi on the later symphonies but the recording quality was
plagued by an excess of fooling around.

Neither one of them have what I would consider good recordings of the
first two symphonies, which are stylistically very different than the
later ones and really need a different sort of orchestra.
--scott

[Paul S Person]

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

If you are referring to /9 Symphonien/, it's available on CD as well.
I listen to it when it comes up on my Final Playlist.

There are actually two von Karajan sets, the 1963 set and the one from
the 1980s. The 1963 set was had the later symphonies performed much
slower, but the recording quality was good. The set from the 1980s had
better tempi on the later symphonies but the recording quality was
plagued by an excess of fooling around.
Neither one of them have what I would consider good recordings of the
first two symphonies, which are stylistically very different than the
later ones and really need a different sort of orchestra.

All I will say is, that the CD matched my memory of the LPs.

Beethoven is a bit late for my taste. I prefer JS Bach and friends.
Also harpsichord music -- played on harpsichords, not on pianos.

OTOH, an MHS album of Bach organ works played on a small group of
other instruments is always a joy to listen to. And the very few jazz
piano albums I have are worth hearing.

[William Hyde]

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Paul S Person
Or MHS, from which I built a large collection of very good (if very
old) music.

MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

If you are referring to /9 Symphonien/, it's available on CD as well.
I listen to it when it comes up on my Final Playlist.

There are actually two von Karajan sets, the 1963 set and the one from
the 1980s. The 1963 set was had the later symphonies performed much
slower, but the recording quality was good. The set from the 1980s had
better tempi on the later symphonies but the recording quality was
plagued by an excess of fooling around.
Neither one of them have what I would consider good recordings of the
first two symphonies, which are stylistically very different than the
later ones and really need a different sort of orchestra.

All I will say is, that the CD matched my memory of the LPs.
Beethoven is a bit late for my taste. I prefer JS Bach and friends.
Also harpsichord music -- played on harpsichords, not on pianos.
OTOH, an MHS album of Bach organ works played on a small group of
other instruments is always a joy to listen to. And the very few jazz
piano albums I have are worth hearing.

Nicanor Zabelata recorded the Bach Partita number two for violin on the
harp.

Sounds like a disaster, but it worked for me. Though I prefer the original.

I have not heard Glen Gould's recording of Beethoven's fifth symphony
transcribed for piano. Perhaps if I check youtube...

William Hyde

[Scott Lurndal]

Post by William Hyde

Post by Paul S Person
Beethoven is a bit late for my taste. I prefer JS Bach and friends.
Also harpsichord music -- played on harpsichords, not on pianos.
OTOH, an MHS album of Bach organ works played on a small group of
other instruments is always a joy to listen to. And the very few jazz
piano albums I have are worth hearing.

Nicanor Zabelata recorded the Bach Partita number two for violin on the
harp.
Sounds like a disaster, but it worked for me. Though I prefer the original.
I have not heard Glen Gould's recording of Beethoven's fifth symphony
transcribed for piano. Perhaps if I check youtube...

There seems to be a trend on youtube for solo renditions of
Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_ on electric guitar; see,
for example,

[Paul S Person]

Post by Paul S Person
Beethoven is a bit late for my taste. I prefer JS Bach and friends.
Also harpsichord music -- played on harpsichords, not on pianos.

Go right now and get the Academy of Ancient Music recording with
Hogwood conducting the first two Beethoven symphonies. You might
like his recording of the fourth as well. It's not big and bombastic
at all, but very clipped and precise.

Thanks, but I think not.

As I said, Beethoven is a bit late. I own the /9 Symphonien/ more out
of respect than of liking.

[The Horny Goat]

Post by Scott Dorsey
There are actually two von Karajan sets, the 1963 set and the one from
the 1980s. The 1963 set was had the later symphonies performed much
slower, but the recording quality was good. The set from the 1980s had
better tempi on the later symphonies but the recording quality was
plagued by an excess of fooling around.
Neither one of them have what I would consider good recordings of the
first two symphonies, which are stylistically very different than the
later ones and really need a different sort of orchestra.

True - the first two sound more like they were written by Mozart or
Handel than the man who wrote the Eroica much less the 9th.

[The Horny Goat]

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Scott Dorsey
MHS always sent me records in boxes marked "Delicate Classical Music
Enclosed." But the music wasn't always delicate. Sometimes it was
heavy and ponderous. I got the von Karajan set of Beethoven symphonies
and it was anything but delicate.

I also got that one. I still consider it the best version of the
9th on vinyl (the tenor, in particular, was fine).

I bought that set when I was in university some 40 years ago but
unfortunate put a scratch in the 2nd movement of the 9th which makes
it painful - at least the 4th movement (the last one including the
choral) plays well though my hearing has declined to the point that
the youtube version sounds good.

[Paul S Person]

Post by Tony Nance

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.
Lynn

I can still tell you what my membership number was for many years, until
they sold I guess. (I won't, but I can). In the post-Amazon years,
I would pretty much buy only the omnibi or art/comic offerings, but
still many fond memories.

Same here. When I first started reading this group in the mid-1990s, i
quickly learned that I'd had a non-standard intro to written SF, and
that I had missed a lot of the common classics most others had read.
SFBC was my primary way of "catching up", including their awesome
introductory deal at the time. I also greatly appreciated Andrew
Wheeler's contributions and insights here in rasfw over the many years
he was here.

/A Treasury of Great Science Fiction/ was a great introduction for me.

I think it was a year or more before I started not accepting whatever
two books they wanted to send me.

Post by Tony Nance
I haven't been a member for years, but I'm sad to see it go,

[Scott Dorsey]

Post by Lynn McGuire
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

Oh no! I have never been a member, although I had friends who were members
buy plenty of books for me over the years. I had no idea it even still
existed... if I'd known I'd have joined! They don't advertise and they
don't have booths at SF cons anymore... how was anyone to know they were
still in business?
--scott

[Paul S Person]

On Fri, 3 Jan 2025 16:01:40 -0600, Lynn McGuire

“SFBC shutting down”
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
“Reported in Ansible 450.”
https://news.ansible.uk/a450.html#14
"The "How it works" page now says this:"
https://www.sfbc.com/how-it-works
"How Your Membership Works<br>Cancel anytime."
"After 2/1/2025, orders will no longer be processed at Science Fiction
Book Club."
"You can still redeem your existing credits on the site as normal until
2/1/2025."
"You can also still purchase books using a credit card on the site as
normal until 2/1/2025."
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long. I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s. I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

I found them (and some of the other Doubleday clubs) /very/ helpful in
the 50s and 60s. Before I was old enough to have a checking account, I
would give my mother the money needed to pay for the recent purchase
and ask her to write the check. This was in the days of the "Book Club
Edition" which, for most of that time at least, cost $1 each. Of
course, MMPB were about $0.35 but these were hardbacks. Sort of.

I let them lapse for a while, but restarted (some) of them. Eventually
I gave up on them, as they were selling their books for Trade PB
prices plus a large S&H fee -- basically, a $15 book became a $20
book. I could do better buying the Trade PB at the local bookstore, as
the sales tax was a lot less than 33%.

And I am surprised at their longevity as well. They were part of a
mail-order culture which has mutated into ordering online.

[Dimensional Traveler]

Post by Lynn McGuire
“SFBC shutting down”
   https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

Add me to the list of those who thought SFBC was long since defunct. I
KNOW it ceased operations at least once many years ago as I got the
notice telling me it was going out of business. I didn't cancel my
membership, they just stopped operating. Someone must have bought the
rights and such and started a successor company.

[James Nicoll]

Post by Dimensional Traveler

“SFBC shutting down”
   https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1hsnqmd/sfbc_shutting_down/
I am surprised SFBC lasted this long.  I have not ordered a book from it
since the early 1970s.  I think that “Dune” was the last book I bought
from it.

Add me to the list of those who thought SFBC was long since defunct. I
KNOW it ceased operations at least once many years ago as I got the
notice telling me it was going out of business. I didn't cancel my
membership, they just stopped operating. Someone must have bought the
rights and such and started a successor company.

It was still going when I parted ways with it in the summer
of 2014.

The _Canadian_ SFBC had gone under by then and I think there was
a UK one as well.

I though they should create a North American version of Gollancz's
SF Gateway but I don't think anyone higher up thought that was a
good idea.