Book Store Tours

Hello Everyone,

This is a BIG post of major content.  The recordings below are bookstore tours.  Like most people, you are probably confused and overwhelmed by the sheer volume and variety of books that Mr. LaFond has written.  I addressed this in part by making the Bookstore Page as a portal to additional bookstore pages.  We are working on creating a video tour for each bookstore and today I am adding three new ones, Uncommon Men, Poets, Seers & Heroes, and Masculinity.  In addition, James and I had an editorial meeting back in January, setting out our plan for a year's work of Crackpot work, but little did we know 2020 would go so far sideways.

In conducting these bookstore tours, we got a bit carried away, so I am also including some of this content in the next regular episode of the Crackpot Podcast, named the Lost Episode, because I had forgotten all about it.

In talking about Mr. LaFond's writing career, we must always mention The Logic of Steel.  Some time ago I made a tweet thread about it but since I delete all my tweets every few months, I am including it here as well:

Begin tweet thread:

James LaFond's books are highly collectible. The Logic of Steel is a cult classic. Let me tell you the story about it.

Back in 2001, Paladin Press published the first edition.  It sold modestly but found a loyal following

Readers wrote letters to LaFond in care of Paladin and traveled to Baltimore to meet him. People in urban hellscapes and in law enforcement immediately saw the value in it

A smart guy in Japan bought ten copies and socked them away. When Logic of Steel went out of print, he sold them for hundreds of dollars each. Today, the cheapest listing for a used copy is $100

Image

I don't know the exact figure but LaFond made something like a buck per copy sold, a modest four figure amount over the life of the book. Even after self-publishing became widespread, James was powerless to make any money off this book that Paladin owned

Then, in 2017, Paladin Press closed its operation for good, and the rights reverted to James LaFond, along with the other two books of his they owned, The Fighting Edge and The Logic of Force. Both very interesting books in their own right.

Used copies of Logic of Steel had at times sold for $1000 - surely James could now count on some income by reissuing it as a self published title!

He listed the books right away and announced on his website. Very soon, the hammer came down...

Amazon censored the book without warning or notification, simply ghosting it from LaFond's CreateSpace account, as I found when I looked for the listing, trying to shill for my friend.

Why did they do this? Can't say for sure, but this was LaFond's main source of income. Some nameless commissar made his life very much harder.

But I have good news for you. You can own a different book, that somehow has a very, VERY similar feel to Logic of Steel. I took the text and photos, and those of The Fighting Edge, and made The Violence Project, just for you.

This book is unlike anything else you've read. It's a detailed survey of real knife violence - the kind that is making a comeback as our rulers crack down on gun owners while importing machete warriors.

James has conducted hundreds of interviews with criminals, crime victims and witnesses. He recounts the stories with precision, humor, and pathos. This book is a literary and scholarly work, as well as being a practical source for understanding violence.

You can buy The Violence Project, which is two books in one volume, lovingly published by your humble editrix and podcastrix, yours truly. It's a good investment. If you ever have the privilege to meet James LaFond, this is one of the books you'll want him to sign for you

End tweet thread

Alright, here are the videos.  You can find all the mp3 files here, if you prefer that, and I have also uploaded all the videos to BitChute, but I will stick with YouTube here so we don't get too unwieldy.

Best Laid Plans for 2020

Bookstore Tour - Uncommon Men

Bookstore Tour - Poets, Seers & Heroes

Bookstore Tour - Harm City

Bookstore Tour - Masculinity