Surfing The Amazon

I think I've caught a bit of a meme that had been going around last week. That's the only reason I can think of for wanting to tell everyone about my very first Amazon order, which shipped way back on January 25, 1999.

I don't even remember the Internet being around back in 1999 let alone my having access to it, but Amazon swears I did:

The Sportswriter (Vintage Contemporaries) [Paperback]
By: Richard Ford
$9.60

Here's another thing I don't remember about 1999: me reading books. I do remember getting Ford's Pulitzer Prize winning Independence Day and then finding out that it was the second in a series. That's why I picked up this book, the first of that series. I loved both books, but have yet to read last year's The Lay of the Land, Ford's third installment in the life of Frank Bascombe.

More A Legend Than A Band [Audio CD]
By: The Flatlanders
$12.99

1999 found me way into Jimmie Dale Gilmore, but the Flatlanders also included Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. When the album came out back in '72 (on 8-track only) these three were the future of authentic country music. Unfortunately, by the time it came out on vinyl (in 1980) and on disc (in 1990), popular country music was anything but authentic. Gilmore's "Dallas" is still one of the greatest odes to a city ever written.

Measure Twice, Cut Once : Lessons from a Master Carpenter [Hardcover]
By: Norm Abram
$12.60

My love of all things Norm started way before 1999, but this was the first (and only) book of his I've ever bought. This was before This Old House magazine, Classic This Old House, Ask This Old House or even HGTV. We didn't have 24/7 access to home improvement-based entertainment. This slim book wasn't quiet what I expected. It was Norm's take on each of the tools in his workshop, which he used to describe the life of a master carpenter. Sort of a Zen and the Art of Mitering.

There you go. Amazon allows you to see all of your purchases - just go to "Your Account" then under "Where's my Stuff" change the "View by Order" pull-down to "complete order history sorted by year" and pull down "See more" and select the earliest year. Simple, right?

So spill it - what and when was your first order?

[Meme via Scott and Tony]

Comments

[The Velvet Blog]

In July 1997, I ordered The Anubis Gates, a fantasy novel by Tim Powers. It was pretty good, as I remember.

Looks as if my first CD purchase was June '98: Chris von Sneidern's Wood and Wire and the Pernice Brothers' Overcome by Happiness, two fine purchases, though the Pernice Bros. CD has aged better.

[The Velvet Blog]

Hmm. Why didn't my links work?