Spread the meme: Buy-a-Book Saturday!

Regularly since 2010, at about this time of year, I've posted about Buy-a-Book Saturday. That's my personal variation on Small Business Saturday: a day (specifically, the second day after Thanksgiving, and one day after retail's infamous Black Friday) on which holiday shoppers are especially encouraged to consider patronizing small businesses. The big-box stores and Internet giants will do fine this holiday season. But will your neighborhood stores?

Why the buy-a-book variant? Because what business is smaller than the author toiling away by him- or herself? Because, as I (and many others) post from time to time, the publishing business is becoming tougher and tougher -- especially for the authors. Because more than likely you're a reader, or else you wouldn't be frequenting this blog.

So: I'm suggesting you give serious consideration to books -- whether print, electronic, or audio -- for some of your holiday gifting. Friends, relatives, coworkers, your kids' teachers, the local library you support ... surely there's a book that's right for each of them. And for yourself, of course :-)

Am I pushing my own books? Unavoidably, by implication (and if you do consider one of mine, however you decide: I appreciate that), but I intend this annual appeal more broadly. This blog concerns itself (mostly) with science and SF, but I don't intend even to limit today's post to those (very broad) topics.

If you're looking for suggestions -- not my titles -- for the past few years I've recommended a few books that I personally found noteworthy:

• "2015 best reads"
• "Books to savor, 2014 edition"
• "Books to knock your socks off ..." (in 2013)
• "That's entertainment! / Books for the holidays" (my 2012 list).

And while you're in a generous holiday spirit, also consider extending the gift of support: writing reviews of your favorite books on Amazon, Goodreads, or other services/stores. This won't cost you a thing, and it'll help the authors. Majorly. For more on this idea, see "Notes from *far* outside my comfort zone."

There you have it: Buy-a-Book Saturday! (Not to mention the obvious extension of the concept to Cyber Monday!) Nourish the meme -- and the rest of the mind! Spread the word!