Some of the world’s most famous authors escalated their heated dispute with Amazon on Monday, publishing a letter to retailer’s board warning of the “ugly history” of blocking book sales.
Amazon and publishing giant Hachette have been locked in a six-month dispute over the pricing of e-books that has led Amazon to delay shipment of Hachette authors, refuse pre-orders and institute other tactics aimed at damping the publisher’s sales.
Bestselling authors including Malcolm Gladwell, Stephen King, Michael Pollan and Donna Tartt are among the Hachette authors who have protested Amazon’s move.
On Monday Authors United, which represents the writers, released a letter it is sending to Amazon’s 10 board members that claims the retailer’s tactics have driven down Hachette authors’ sales by at least 50% and in some cases as much as 90%.
The group points out that Russell Grandinetti, Amazon senior vice-president and the man seen as the driving force in the dispute, has stated that the company was “forced to take this step because Hachette refused to come to the table”. Grandinetti has also said that “authors are the only leverage we have”.
“As one of the world’s largest corporations, Amazon was not ‘forced’ to do anything. This is an obvious fact. We all have choices. Amazon chose to involve 2,500 Hachette authors and their books. It could end these sanctions tomorrow while continuing to negotiate. Amazon is undermining the ability of authors to support their families, pay their mortgages, and provide for their kids’ college educations. We’d like to emphasize that most of us are not Hachette authors, and our concern is founded on principle, rather than self-interest,” Authors United writes.
“We find it hard to believe that all members of the Amazon board approve of these actions. We would like to ask you a question: Do you as an Amazon director approve of this policy of sanctioning books?
“Efforts to impede or block the sale of books have a long and ugly history. Would you, personally, want to be associated with this? We feel strongly that such actions have no place in a common commercial dispute. Amazon has other negotiating tools at its disposal; it does not need to inflict harm on the very authors who helped it become one of the largest retailers in the world,” the group writes.
Amazon’s board is chaired by company founder Jeff Bezos and also includes Jamie Gorelick, deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration, Thomas Ryder, former chief executive of Reader’s Digest and Patricia Stonesifer, the former head of the Gates Foundation.
Authors United’s 1,100 members have until Wednesday to sign the letter. Then it will be sent to Amazon’s board members.
