Letter (w/ response) Garbology the book - spread the word!

On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 11:17 PM, George McQueen <georgemcqueen@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you for the [prompt] response and the resources!

Cheers,

George

On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 7:28 PM, Garbology <garbology.book@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Mr. McQueen,

Thank you for contacting me about Garbology, and I'm delighted that you are so enthusiastic about my book that you'd like to share it. It's very gratifying.

That said, my publisher does not allow distribution of large excerpts (anything more than 200 words or so) to the public, either electronically or on paper, and considers the sort of copying and sending of chapters you propose to be a serious copyright violation. While I sympathize with your goals, I agree with my publisher on this.

I can suggest some alternatives, however. The book has gotten considerable media exposure and there are authorized excerpts and coverage of true aspects of the book you mention. Some of these detailed on my website. I would suggest that you provide links to them instead of copying. Here are some:

Excerpt on HuffingtonPost.

Love at First Book Garbology review.

Freakonomics Garbology Q&A

NPR Fresh Air Garbology show

 

Wall Street Journal essays here and here.

Penguin website

Other options: Garbology will be out in paperback in April, it's currently available in ebook format for Kindle and iBooks, and most public libraries are carrying it. I have also participated via Skype and Twitter with book groups around the country -- I love connecting with readers that way where possible. 

Thanks again for contacting me and for your interest in Garbology.

Regards,

Edward Humes

EdwardHumes.com

Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash

Garbology on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

On Dec 17, 2012, at 12:31 PM, George McQueen <georgemcqueen@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Mr. Humes,

Having recently purchased and read a hard-copy of your book Garbology: Our dirty love affair with trash I am inspired to share some--if not all--of the text with as many people as I can. However, I realize that not everyone will be persuaded simply by my recommendation, so I hope to send along a bit of inspiration as well. While I would love to purchase and send many copies of the whole book, I simply cannot afford this (and could use some of the lessons and logic from your book to justify not doing so either). However, I would like to send along an excerpt that might motivate the recipients to both A) get the book and B) take action. I feel that the last chapter (Chapter 12, "Put downs, Pick ups and the Power of No") and the epilogue ("Garbage in, Out") would be a most fitting for such inspiration--with practical tips for everyone, and enough detail to intrigue others into picking up a copy of their own.

In advance of sitting at my scanner and creating my own electronic copy of these chapters, perhaps you have an electronic copy of these two chapters you'd be willing to share? (I promise I will not print copies--for both ethical, legal and environmental reasons).

Thank you for your time in considering my request. Moreover, thank you for so eloquently reiterating what most of us have been trained to forget: nature does not waste.

Appreciatively,

George McQueen
Austin, TX