Can You Say Achilles Heel? (Updated)

So, Amazon thinks it's on top of the world, because it's trying to own the Internet.

Then, reports came out that Amazon was looking to open brick-and-mortar stores. Now, why the bloody hell would Amazon want to do this?

Are they completely nuts? No, of course not.

Amazon is all about the bottom line.

Now, if you read this article, you'll see why it makes sense for Amazon to open its own stores.

Leave us not forget that Barnes & Noble has told Amazon to stuff it.

And so did Books-A-Million.

The fact of the matter is print books aren't dead by a long shot. Authors know that. That's why having a deal with a publisher is still cool.

But it doesn't mean much if you can't get your books into stores.

Sure, you can make money off ebooks, but you can't achieve great notoriety, if that's what you want as an author. Those opportunities still lie with the Big Six publishers, thanks to Amazon's shortsighted greed and avarice inability to simply play nice with other retailers. So ... what is Amazon really offering authors and readers? How much does it care about literacy versus simply lining its own pockets?

PS: Compare this article with this letter from the owner of R.J. Julia Independent Booksellers. Which one do you think is more concerned about books and readers?

PPS: This is how nice retailers spin their message, Amazon. Word to the wise, okay?

PPPS: Happy 200th birthday to Charles Dickens.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention Indigo Books. Plus Amazon's pissed off the American Booksellers Association. Nice going!