Q1: Why aren't you giving the books away?

A: We are a bookstore. How does a bookstore stay in business if it gives away its product inventory? Besides, why single out bookstores – do you demand that car dealerships, grocery stores, and manufacturers of various products to give away their merchandise? That being said, for years we have and will continue to donate thousands of books to teachers, area nonprofits, jails, and those who simply can't afford the price of a used book.

NOTE: we will not provide books to any organization that competes with used book stores – independent bookstores are a noble breed and we heartily support the work that they do!

Q2: How do I get some of your books?

A: We'll ship you books in orders of 20 or more for $1 a book plus $1.5 shipping and handling. Or you can drop by Prospero's (1800 W. 39th Street, KCMo 64111 816.531.WORD) and make us an offer.

Q3: Can I see a list of the books?

A: No. they are in boxes piled on each other in a portable storage unit. Note: these are not our regular store inventory – they are books that no one has wanted. Any books you select while not here in person, are a random sampling of decent conditioned – we will try to keep your preferences in mind, but we cannot promise anything. You can also visit Prospero's and check out our 50,000 + titles.

Q4: You simply aren't working hard enough at finding someone to take the books.

A: We are a used bookstore with a staff of two – with which we keep our doors open over 75 hours a week. I work three jobs, often in excess of 80 hours a week, to make ends meet, and Tom is known as a handyman in our part of town. We are not complaining – it is the price we are willing to pay to keep books alive. Yet, we are simply unable to dedicate even more hours…

Q5: why don't you give them to…

A: There you go again, there are only two of us... Why don't YOU help out?

Q6: Why burn books?

A: As a wake-up call to the culture. The Nazi's burned books because they didn't want people to read them. Prospero's is burning books to try and get you to read - because when people don't read books they are accomplishing exactly what the Nazi's wanted.

Burning books is an inflammatory act because books can contain our most sacred and valuable thoughts. A 2004 National Endowment of the Arts study indicates that less than 50% of Americans read even one book not required by work or school in a year – down 20% in the last 2 decades. These figures are 5 years old; this trend line will drop us to a 1/3 of Americans reading even one book in just a few years. Combined with a waste stream that destroys hundreds of thousands of books each year, this allows us an opportunity to hold up the art/life mirror to our culture. We risk a secular idolatry when we value the physical pages and continue to ignore the fact that fewer and fewer people are choosing to read what's contained on the pages.

Q7: How many books were burnt?

A: a few dozen – just enough to get people's attention.

Q8: Will you burn more books?

A: There was a lot of public outcry and outrage when we burnt the first few dozen books, and still there is a giant container filled with books sitting on our sidewalk. Over the last 90 days, somewhere between 5 – 7,500 books have found a home. There are still 15,000 books just sitting there, and we are about to run out of $ to pay for the storage unit. Maybe people thought that being verbally outraged would solve something – the books are still there…

Q9: Is this just another publicity stunt to make money?

A: No. It was a way to start a national discussion about the place of reading in our lives. Used book selling is simply not the most lucrative occupation on the planet. To be honest, the permits, storage, emails, posters, long-distance phone minutes, personal time, etc. have now cost us hundreds of dollars.

Q10: We need to do something about Prospero's burning books…

A: The dirty secret in America is that behind nearly every bookstore and library is a green dumpster filled with books. And let's not forget the hundreds of thousands of new books, covers torn off, that are trashed by the publishing industry each year. Why don't YOU help do something to increase reading in your own community?

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Dear Book Lovers;

There are worse crimes than burning books, one is not reading them. ~ Joseph Brodsky
The individual who won’t read has nothing over the individual who cannot read. ~ Mark Twain

For ten years Prospero's Books has been in the front lines of the literary arts, both as a bookseller (www.prosperosbookstore.com) and as a publisher (www.unholydaypress.com).

As a used bookseller, we have put our money where our hearts are - surrendering our hours and our revenues to sharing the world of books and, more importantly, the ideas they contain with anyone who would listen.

During these ten years we have seen reading decline dramatically. The National endowment of the Arts study on literary literacy in America painfully highlighted the rapid decline of reading in America. In our own community, we've watched as bookstore after bookstore has folded. During these ten years we have seen reading decline dramatically. The in America which painfully highlighted the rapid decline of reading in America. In our own community, we’ve watched as bookstore after bookstore has folded.

Yesterday, we performed an act of art - a wakeup call to all who value books and ideas. Over the last 10 years, Prospero's Books has 20,000 books we've collected that people simply will not read. We hundreds more each week.

At Prospero's we fundamentally believe that the literary arts are not dead. We believe that there is still much about the human condition and our time still needing to be said. In so saying, we challenge you to get involved in two ways:

1. email these stories to your friends
2. call your local TV, radio, newspaper, blogs, etc. and tell them what is going on
3. For $1 a book (+ postage), you can save these books from the flame. We will not take these $s as profit, but will use them to publish new books.

Many of you have great ideas regarding what can be done with these books that's better than burning them - we agree with you, and encourage YOU to get involved in sharing the gift of literature. For $1 a book + postage, you can support your local school, prison, etc.

My greatest fear is that as a culture, we may be beyond saving the books.

We appreciate that you have joined what we hope will become a national dialogue about the importance of books. Thank you.

Sincere Regards,

Prospero’s Bookstore
Will Leathem
Tom Wayne

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INTERVIEW w/Ryan Bodenstab

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Prospero’s offers rare & signed books - start your collection today and watch it grow in value!

A Bad Beginning “Rare Edition”
by Lemony Snicket

A Twistedly Curious Tale, now a major motion picture w/Jim Carey

Prospero’s offers the rare boxed edition, signed by Illustrator, Brett Helquist, and including mint “Marvelous Marriage” ephemera.

The Da Vinci Code Advance Reading Copy
by Dan Brown

#1 Best-selling book of 2004:
Nothing sells better than controversy, and The Da Vinci Code has caused such a stir that scholars recently held a confab in Italy to discuss the contents.

O'Ryan
by Charles Olson
1965 White Rabit Press, limited 1,000 copy run

Prospero's also has some mighty cool Beat & Counter Culture collectables:

• Autographed Burroughs
• Kenneth Patchen 1st Edition
• Henry Miller Bootlegged Tropics...

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by J.K. Rowling

Nothing in recent years can touch the popularity of Harry Potter. Author J.K. Rowling just doesn't sign all that many books. Don't miss a chance to give a truly rare gift or ad this one to your own collection.

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