ARTS

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USED BOOK STORE OWNER CAN'T GIVE BOOKS AWAY SO HE BURNS THEM

AP - Tom Wayne amassed thousands of books in a warehouse during the 10
years he has run his used book store, Prospero's Books. His collection
ranges from best sellers like Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October"
and Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities," to obscure titles like a
bound report from the Fourth Pan-American Conference held in Buenos
Aires in 1910. But wanting to thin out his collection, he found he
couldn't even give away books to libraries or thrift shops, which said
they were full.

So on Sunday, Wayne began burning his books protest what he sees as
society's diminishing support for the printed word. "This is the funeral
pyre for thought in America today," Wayne told spectators outside his
bookstore as he lit the first batch of books. The fire blazed for about
50 minutes before the Kansas City Fire Department put it out because
Wayne didn't have a permit to burn them.

Wayne said next time he will get a permit. He said he envisions monthly
bonfires until his supply -- estimated at 20,000 books -- is exhausted.
. .

Wayne said he has seen fewer customers in recent years as people more
often get their information from television or the Internet.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/28/book.burning.ap/index.html

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