Purchase Paul Loeb’s Books
Please encourage local stores, both independents and chains, to stock Paul’s books as visibly as possible.
Shop Indie Bookstores – Your Local Independent Bookstore
Preorder the fully updated third edition of The Impossible Will Take a Little While before its Oct 13 release and order Soul of a Citizen, by contacting your local independent store. Getting my books visible in independent bookstores are the best way to build momentum, as local stores build community, care about the books they sell, and are great vehicles for word-of-mouth, as when The Impossible spent 11 weeks on their bestseller list when initially released. For The Impossible‘s new edition, ask for ISBN 978-1541608849. For Soul, ask for ISBN 978-0312595371
If you prefer to order online or want to order an ebook, please use Bookshop.org. It offers convenient online ordering for independent bookstores, is endorsed by their association, and gives local stores the bulk of their profits.
Preorder The Impossible’s new third edition in print or ebook. ($21.43 paperback, $14.99 ebook, Basic Books)
Order Soul of a Citizen, in print or ebook. ($21.43 paperback, $12.99 ebook, St Martin’s Press)
Order The Impossible’s second edition in print or ebook. ($20.49 paperback, $14.99 ebook, Basic Books)
Barnes&Noble.com
Not an independent, but you’re still supporting physical stores. Local stores have more autonomy now, so you can encourage them to preorder and make the book visible, which similarly builds advance momentum. For The Impossible‘s new edition, ask for ISBN 978-1541608849. For Soul, ask for ISBN 978-0312595371
Preorder The Impossible‘s new edition in print or Nook electronic edition ($21.99 paperback, $14.99 ebook, Basic books).
Order Soul‘s print, Nook electronic edition, or audio book ($22 paperback, $12.99 ebook, St Martin’s Press)
Order The Impossible‘s second edition in print or Nook electronic edition.
Amazon.Com
If you only order through Amazon, I’d rather you buy my books through them than not buy them at all. I’ve given the links below. But whether you’re reading books in print or electronically, I’d strongly prefer you support actual stores like those listed above. Here’s why:
They’re destructive to publishing and bookstores. They’ve bullied major publishers, including my publishers by temporarily dropping all their books to force them to let Amazon set so low a price on Kindle editions that it would undercut in-store sales, particularly of hardbacks. They offered a smart-phone tool where people would go into brick-and-mortar stores, check out books they wanted, and then get a $5 discount if they captured the info on their phone and bought from Amazon. After Hachette, the publisher of The Impossible refused to give them special lower prices, they jacked up the prices for their books, promoted competing books that would come up when you searched for Hachette authors, and disappeared listings entirely. Public outrage forced them to back off, but these examples are indicative of their values.
They also treat their workers terribly, or at least those who ship their books and other products. For years, Amazon kept its warehouse workers in 100-degree heat without air-conditioning, with an ambulance outside in case they pass out. They wrote up workers for getting sick too often and fired them for getting injured. In 2024, the state of California fined them for 59,000 violations of state labor laws restricting productivity quotas, at two of their warehouses.
They support regressive political policies. Amazon lobbied extensively against being charged local sales tax on their book sales, undermining local economies and placing them at an advantage over regular bookstores. They lobbied to keep major loopholes on federal taxes. Owner Jeff Bezos has largely gutted The Washington Post. And that doesn’t even count the $40 million Melania film.
If you only buy books from Amazon:
Order The Impossible‘s new edition from Amazon, in print and Kindle version.
Order Soul from Amazon, in print, Kindle, and audiobook versions.
Order The Impossible‘s second edition from Amazon, in print and Kindle version.
Bulk Purchases:
Both of my publishers offer discounts for bulk copies, for instance to nonprofit staffers, or volunteers, or to give to students as awards. So do local bookstores. For The Impossible, contact Hachette special markets. For Soul, contact Macmillan special markets.
Academic Exam Copies
For academic examination copies of The Impossible and information on classroom use, including classroom study questions, see The Impossible Classroom Use
For Soul of a Citizen academic examination copies and information on classroom use, including classroom study questions, see Soul Classroom Use