But, I have been dismayed of late to find that the Motorcycle section of this store has fallen into a sorry state.
Only a year ago, this section was ten shelves crammed with books on a wide variety of makes and models. It is now three disheveled shelves of nearly worthless reading. And it isn't just Powells. Borders Books has reduced their Motorcycle section to about a dozen books. Checking Amazon.com isn't that much of a help either; most publishers seem to be abandoning the motorcycle genre as they try to publish only top-sellers in their lemming-leap into bankruptcy.
The other interesting thing about this is Powell's book-buyers. They are almost always busy these days as the economy forces people to sell their collections of books. The counter in the back of the store frequently has books stacked in piles twenty-high. I keep waiting to read a morning headline: "Local book store employee crushed in book avalanche". In spite of all of these used books pouring into the store, no one is selling their motorcycle books. I don't blame them, but I really expected to find tons of early books on British bikes. A used book on an early Triumph is indeed a rare thing these days.
This doesn't stop me from hoping. Or from checking that meager Motorcycle section, just in case. Nor does it stop me from being waylaid in the mystery section before I ever get to motorcycles.
