While in the midst of contract negotiations, online retailer and purported booksellerAmazon.com has attempted to make New York publisher Hatchette Book Group an offer it can’t refuse my making many of Hatchette’s titles (for example Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great)unavailable for timely shipping. And when I say unavailable for timely shipping, I mean you’ll have to wait 2-5 weeks. Not days. Weeks — even with the now more costly (and cost prohibitive) Amazon Prime membership.

Evidently,...