Why I Love Mark Steyn, Part 45 in an Occasional Series

In today's National Post, there is a story about the unavailability of Mark Steyn's best-selling new book, America Alone. The leading book retailer in Canada, Indigo-Chapters, claims that the book's unvailability is due to back orders in the United States (as always, it's the United States' fault in all matters Canadian). Steyn has been laughing at the book's unavailability in his own country for weeks and, correctly, predicted that it would be mysteriously unavailable at Chapters bookstores upon release.

An excerpt:

In Ottawa, the Steyn book is available neither at Chapters nor at such independent bookstores as Nicholas Hoare. A clerk at the Nicholas Hoare bookstore said the book has been difficult to obtain for Canadian retailers.

"Our speculation is that they're keeping the book in stock in the States because of the demand there," said the clerk, who identified herself as Stephanie. [How 'bout Chomsky, Stepahnie? Got any Chomsky? - NS]

A Canadian citizen, Mr. Steyn lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. He is a former National Post columnist and now writes for the Atlantic Monthly, Maclean's and the Western Standard, among other publications.

In an e-mail exchange, Mr. Steyn yesterday said the excuses of Canadian book sellers, who insisted there was no demand for his book, are increasingly hilarious.

In Canada, he said, there are enough copies of Jules Carlysle's Dumbass "to carpet the Arctic Circle," but no one thought enough of his book to order sufficient copies.

"I can understand that there are products one might consider it prudent to restrict distribution of -- certain Canadian novels spring to mind -- but, oddly enough, my publishers prefer the old-fashioned model: They're in the bookselling business not the book-withholding business.

"My advice to Canadian readers is drive over to the Buffalo Barnes & Noble and smuggle it back in, cunningly hidden under the Algerian terrorist in the back seat."