美国国家公共电台 NPR--Authors speak out against trend of reading and returning ebooks

Authors speak out against trend of reading and returning ebooks

Transcript¹

Authors are sounding the alarm about a TikTok trend encouraging people to read and return ebooks to Amazon. Self-published writers say Amazon's lenient² return policy is risking their livelihoods³.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

OK. Plenty of people - maybe you've even done this, Rachel; I don't know - buy clothes and then return them?

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Yes.

INSKEEP: Would you do that? You do that?

MARTIN: I have done that.

INSKEEP: OK. All right. People do it. And if it doesn't fit, of course, that's reasonable. But some authors would like buyers to do that a little less often with books, specifically e-books sold on Amazon.

MARTIN: Yeah, here's the deal. Social media influencers have been promoting what they are calling a life hack⁴, encouraging readers to buy e-books, read them really fast and then return them within seven days to get their money back. Critics of Amazon and its founder⁵, Jeff Bezos, say taking advantage of some generous e-book return policies is a way to slap back at the online retailer⁶.

INSKEEP: But apparently⁷, you're not just hitting the big company. Self-published authors say they're getting hurt. Lisa Kessler writes paranormal romance books and says every time a reader tosses back one of her e-books, Amazon takes back royalties⁸.

LISA KESSLER: Unless you're Nora Roberts or Stephen King, you're making - you know, you're a starving artist. And so when people throw back an entire series, it really wallops the authors. It's a big shock when those all come back.

MARTIN: Kessler posted about her losses on Twitter. Her tweet, Amazon is not a library, went viral.

KESSLER: There were replies to the tweet of people who had 250 books returned, which - to put it in regular, you know, numbers, that's, like, over $800 from an author. I would cry. Mine wasn't that bad, but I would just cry.

INSKEEP: We reached out to Amazon, and they tell NPR they work to prevent abuse of the return policy. But authors say the problem persists.

MARTIN: There is, however, a silver lining⁹ for Lisa Kessler. Ever since she tweeted about readers returning her e-books, she says her sales have shot up.

INSKEEP: (Laughter) There. Amazon was good for her after all.

(SOUNDBITE OF L'INDECIS'S "STAYING THERE")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 lenient   

adj.宽大的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• The judge was lenient with him.法官对他很宽大。
• It's a question of finding the means between too lenient treatment and too severe punishment.问题是要找出处理过宽和处罚过严的折中办法。

3 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

4 hack   

n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳

参考例句：

• He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
• Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。

5 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

6 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

9 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。