a "Writer's Tale" tale

[dbskyler]

So I finally went to buy RTD's "The Writer's Tale" (more because I'm interested in the writing process for Doctor Who than because I'm interested in how RTD writes), but after a long wait, Amazon.com has now informed me that they can't get the book! How hard can it be to get the book? I can get it myself from Amazon.co.uk -- well, assuming they'll mail overseas, but it looks like they will. Other American bookstores are having the same trouble. BBC America says the book is "unavailable" as well. Come on, guys, there's no "region 1" vs. "region 2" issue with a book! The British version is fine! It's still in English! If things are occasionally spelled "ou" instead of "o," I think I can deal.

So now the question is, should I go ahead and order it from England, and pay the international shipping? Or should I wait until my upcoming trip to England and buy it there? Sometimes it's nice to have a book to read while you're traveling, but I don't want to be lugging around anything too heavy.

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I'd borrow it from the library if I was really desperate to read it (I ain't! I don't trust myself not to send it back to the library covered in margin notes ranting at the moronic way he wrote!) And I certainly wouldn't want to lug it around with me while I was travelling the country.

But I admit I'm strongly biased against the bloke, so my opinion is of no value.

[aralias.livejournal.com]

i only have hte original version (hardback - very heavy), but i loved it. i loved it so much i am almost constantly considering buying the new paperback edition with the extra bit at the end - which i don't think will be so heavy, and could fit in your bag. on the other hand - there's always marketplace (even if you want the paperback new edition there are dealers on the english marketplace who say they ship from america... so might be bargained with).

this is a lot of comment. again. i'm sure i'll slack off soon...

[pitry.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm the exact opposite from persiflage - I wouldn't count my opinion because I'm hopelessly biased on the other direction and RTD is my television god! Haha, aren't we useful? :D But for what it's worth, I really enjoyed it, and found it really interesting and informative, not just about RTD's writing process, but about the Who process in general.

(as for the books, I think they didn't print a lot of them to begin with - there was a huge problem when the book was published even in the UK, no one had enough copies :|)

[thisbluespirit]

All I can say is it *is* a very heavy book! Plus, I'm not sure how easy it is to find in shops at the moment. I haven't looked, but... *thought derails* Sorry I just thought that if anywhere would have it, it would probably be the amazing Waterstones on Gower Street... when you are in London, if you are a bibliophile at all, Charing Cross is bookshop central, of course, but about two thirds of the way up Gower Street is a Waterstones that also contains a floor with remainders and a floor with second hand books. It has staircases that only seem to connect with certain parts of the building, so it is about the only mainstream bookshop I know of anywhere that fits the 'genteel black hole that knows how to read' definition. (Mind you, the crazy one with books piled up EVERYWHERE in complete disregard of access, health and safety etc that I saw in Cheltenham was worth the trip there...)

Sorry, it is a very heavy book. If Amazon cannot oblige, what about other websites, or even Ebay? Sorry, you've probably looked, but, personally, I wouldn't want to be weighted down with that thing. You could fit at least five other paperbacks in, if not more without it...

ETA: And, yes, I think it's worth the read. There are deleted scenes and things from scripts, and certainly the process of writing for something like that is fascinating. (When it comes to RTD, I sit on the fence: I think he's a brilliant screenwriter, who sometimes writes things that I think are silly. Or worse. But we are all so protective of DW. It's so much more than any one person, Doctor, or era, I suppose. I have to say, even though I have problems with much of his stuff, I don't think anyone else would have made its return the success it has been.)

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

Ebay's Half.com, paperback is .89 and the hardback is $20
http://search.half.ebay.com/the-writers-tale_W0QQqueryZtheQ20writerQ27sQ20taleQQmZbooks