Brad Johnson
@ahablives.bsky.social
A part of the Twitter Diaspora.
Also run East Bay Booksellers in Oakland, CA - @ebbooksellers.bsky.social
Also run East Bay Booksellers in Oakland, CA - @ebbooksellers.bsky.social
“The task is to cultivate an inventory where the books you choose get their immediate credibility for browsers because you chose them, not the other way around.”
I'm genuinely honored that I get to partner w/ the UC Berkeley library this week to help an internship program they have. Basically ... I get to chat with undergrads about the decision-making of choosing books.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
November 15, 2025 at 6:21 AM
“The task is to cultivate an inventory where the books you choose get their immediate credibility for browsers because you chose them, not the other way around.”
I have the day off tomorrow, and I'm hoping to wrap up Alvaro Enrigue's forthcoming "Now I Surrender." I'm curious about the delay in translating this one -- was written after "Sudden Death" & before "You Dreamed of Empires."
November 15, 2025 at 4:33 AM
I have the day off tomorrow, and I'm hoping to wrap up Alvaro Enrigue's forthcoming "Now I Surrender." I'm curious about the delay in translating this one -- was written after "Sudden Death" & before "You Dreamed of Empires."
Discursive resignation eventually has non-discursive consequences.
It just feels like everything is being flattened. Rape, genocide, wildfires, etc etc is all just fodder for internet discourse rather than turning points that lead to… something, anything better or different.
It’s so true. It’s actually horrifying to see the memes and jokes about this.
November 15, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Discursive resignation eventually has non-discursive consequences.
College student reminded me today that I’ve been selling her books since she was in elementary school
November 15, 2025 at 2:50 AM
College student reminded me today that I’ve been selling her books since she was in elementary school
I wrote a check today, so I guess I can at least make a semi-formal announcement here: EBB is going to be a sponsor of @oaklandreviewofbooks.org. What that means for them & for us, who’s to say! But it should be interesting figuring out.
November 14, 2025 at 2:43 AM
I wrote a check today, so I guess I can at least make a semi-formal announcement here: EBB is going to be a sponsor of @oaklandreviewofbooks.org. What that means for them & for us, who’s to say! But it should be interesting figuring out.
One thing I can say about Barbara Lee is she's gotten these Oakland parking meter readers out in force!! In the rain, even! They finally got me!
November 13, 2025 at 11:57 PM
One thing I can say about Barbara Lee is she's gotten these Oakland parking meter readers out in force!! In the rain, even! They finally got me!
I love ranting about how shitty S&S is to unsuspecting customers who’ve just called in to check on the status of an order they’ve labelled as “shippable” for two weeks.
November 13, 2025 at 10:48 PM
I love ranting about how shitty S&S is to unsuspecting customers who’ve just called in to check on the status of an order they’ve labelled as “shippable” for two weeks.
Reposted by Brad Johnson
One of the perks of bookselling is you sometimes get invited to sell at very cool things.
November 13, 2025 at 1:57 AM
One of the perks of bookselling is you sometimes get invited to sell at very cool things.
Reposted by Brad Johnson
listening to Patti Smith’s band sound check and it seems they’re just playing through all of Marquee Moon which is just delightful
November 13, 2025 at 1:09 AM
listening to Patti Smith’s band sound check and it seems they’re just playing through all of Marquee Moon which is just delightful
K is visiting her family back in Belgium, and sending me sunrise updates.
November 12, 2025 at 6:49 AM
K is visiting her family back in Belgium, and sending me sunrise updates.
I thought of this post and laughed while editing my ludicrously large holiday catalog tonight.
Something I realize more fully now that I’m in such a small space: I get overwhelmed by too many titles now. It’s become so cacophonous.
November 12, 2025 at 5:32 AM
I thought of this post and laughed while editing my ludicrously large holiday catalog tonight.
Something I realize more fully now that I’m in such a small space: I get overwhelmed by too many titles now. It’s become so cacophonous.
November 11, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Something I realize more fully now that I’m in such a small space: I get overwhelmed by too many titles now. It’s become so cacophonous.
Sorry, everybody, but I’m-appointing myself to visit and sign off on your self-attestation. There will be Health Code-type grades to put in your window and everything.
www.caliballiance.org/certified-in...
www.caliballiance.org/certified-in...
Certified Indie Campaign - California Independent Booksellers Alliance
www.caliballiance.org
November 11, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Sorry, everybody, but I’m-appointing myself to visit and sign off on your self-attestation. There will be Health Code-type grades to put in your window and everything.
www.caliballiance.org/certified-in...
www.caliballiance.org/certified-in...
I’m as surprised by this as anyone, but I really don’t mind all these clips of “Justified” Instagram has decided to feed me.
November 11, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I’m as surprised by this as anyone, but I really don’t mind all these clips of “Justified” Instagram has decided to feed me.
What a night for Cade Cunningham: 46 points, despite missing 31(!) of his 45(!!) shots. And still also managed a triple double.
November 11, 2025 at 4:56 AM
What a night for Cade Cunningham: 46 points, despite missing 31(!) of his 45(!!) shots. And still also managed a triple double.
It’s helpful to remember that Democratic leadership are basically indistinguishable from Republicans in their personal-private life. It is decidedly in their personal-private interest to lose politically.
November 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
It’s helpful to remember that Democratic leadership are basically indistinguishable from Republicans in their personal-private life. It is decidedly in their personal-private interest to lose politically.
Hate to break it to you, buddy, but destroying the actually-existing Democratic Party IS an integral part of the bigger fight now.
But there are real dangers out there that must be fought; and energy spent fighting each other is energy lost to that bigger fight.
November 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Hate to break it to you, buddy, but destroying the actually-existing Democratic Party IS an integral part of the bigger fight now.
Was thinking about what wisdom Townes van Zandt would have for us through these trying times, & figured it’d be one part whisky & the other part a long talking blues song.
November 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Was thinking about what wisdom Townes van Zandt would have for us through these trying times, & figured it’d be one part whisky & the other part a long talking blues song.
I'm genuinely honored that I get to partner w/ the UC Berkeley library this week to help an internship program they have. Basically ... I get to chat with undergrads about the decision-making of choosing books.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
November 10, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I'm genuinely honored that I get to partner w/ the UC Berkeley library this week to help an internship program they have. Basically ... I get to chat with undergrads about the decision-making of choosing books.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
I have so few marketable skills, save for this.
My first thought when I saw photos of Chicago was, "Aww man, I want some snow!"
Then I stepped outside into a pristine perfect Bay Area morning and thought ... nahhhhhh.
Then I stepped outside into a pristine perfect Bay Area morning and thought ... nahhhhhh.
November 10, 2025 at 5:48 PM
My first thought when I saw photos of Chicago was, "Aww man, I want some snow!"
Then I stepped outside into a pristine perfect Bay Area morning and thought ... nahhhhhh.
Then I stepped outside into a pristine perfect Bay Area morning and thought ... nahhhhhh.
So dumb. There were fair arguments to be made that Dems shouldn’t allow a shutdown, but as soon as you commit to that you’d better be fucking committed — which given that this is the Democratic Party after was one huge reason not to allow it.
What a waste.
What a waste.
November 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
So dumb. There were fair arguments to be made that Dems shouldn’t allow a shutdown, but as soon as you commit to that you’d better be fucking committed — which given that this is the Democratic Party after was one huge reason not to allow it.
What a waste.
What a waste.
European politics aren't by any stretch of the imagination *ideal*. In Belgium, they're barely functional. And yet, against all odds, they seems utopic compared to the US.
This perfectly encapsulates how I feel living in the US. The republican party is an insane death cult, the democratic party is 3 corporations in a trench coat, and the "socialists" are just the completely normal left-wing capitalists you'd find in any of 2 dozen European nations.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:12 PM
European politics aren't by any stretch of the imagination *ideal*. In Belgium, they're barely functional. And yet, against all odds, they seems utopic compared to the US.
Reposted by Brad Johnson
we talk too much about the male loneliness crisis and not enough about the male suckerfication crisis maxread.substack.com/p/prediction...
November 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
we talk too much about the male loneliness crisis and not enough about the male suckerfication crisis maxread.substack.com/p/prediction...
A belief that billionaires+ shouldn't exist isn't jealousy. It's not even being a hater. It's the commonest of common sense.
November 7, 2025 at 4:42 AM
A belief that billionaires+ shouldn't exist isn't jealousy. It's not even being a hater. It's the commonest of common sense.