Those beautiful days of sipping tea along the Garonne whilst ordering books that will arrive in a week's time, free of charge, are over. The high court in Versailles has forbidden Amazon.com to offer free shipping after the French Bookseller's Union threw a fit of Gallic rage, claiming the Web retailer was offering an "illegal discount on books." Woe to free markets. Amazon has 10 days to end gratis shipping before the French court imposes a daily $1,462 fine. Jeff Bezos is also stuck giving a not-so-secret Santa of $146,158 to the booksellers.

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