Book Buying Habits
I was paging through the newest Sundance catalog. Found something odd…well, something I thought qualified as odd.
You can buy packages of books. I don’t mean specialty books, though the catalog does have those. I mean bundles of books that seemed to have been put together in a “these are books other people should see you reading” sort of way. For example, the As The Sun Wanes & Leaves Fall Reading Collection includes, among others, White Teeth by Zadie Smith and Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. So, for about $100 (plus shipping) you get a bundle of books someone picked for you to read (or display in your house).
Am I the only one who finds this a little strange? Don’t get me wrong, if Sundance ever does a romance novel pack (which it won’t), I want to be in it. I guess I just always assumed people could pick out their own books. Maybe this is an “in case you missed these” thing. No idea.
September 12th, 2007 at 7:19 am
I can’t imagine doing that. Very strange!
September 12th, 2007 at 8:03 am
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
740 Park by Michael Gross,
Tomboy Bride by Harriet Fish Backus
, Wind, Sand and Stars, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (229pp),
Of Human Bondage, W. Somerset Maugham (610pp),
Cocktail Time by P.G. Wodehouse (222pp),
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (607pp) and
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (401pp).
Well, it’s like when I go visit my friend who owns a small bookstore. We start talking books and our recommendations and experiences are all over the map.
I’ve got a lot of those books. They’re all very good and from different eras, and the other is that they’re from an international pantheon of authors. If you love literary fiction, then it’s a great grouping. I also like the themes they explore, and in such different ways. It’s an esoteric offering for an eclectic reader such as myself!
September 12th, 2007 at 8:14 am
That is strange. It reminds me of a school reading list, but of what the “intelligent” person is supposed to be reading this semester.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Very strange. I’m not sure I want anyone who doesn’t know me personally picking out books for me.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:36 am
The sad part is, some pretentious a-holes will buy these bundles..with no intention of reading the books! :p
September 12th, 2007 at 10:57 am
That’s kind of sad… The piles of books around our house are ones that we’ve either read or plan to read someday
Is this just meant for those people who don’t really read, but want to look like they do??
September 12th, 2007 at 11:36 am
I want to pick my own books. The books at my house are read—not for show.
September 12th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Kanani - I agree they’re good books. I’m not familiar with the Gross or Backus books, but the others I am. What I thought was strange was that a catalog - one I think of as selling clothes and furniture - groups them together and sells them in bundles. It felt a bit like those places that sell books by the yard so that people can set up their personal libraries and have the shelves look pretty. But, that’s probably too negative. This might be more like me asking a trust friend for a bunch of book recommendations. Not sure…
September 12th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I prefer picking out my own books.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:02 am
Maybe the people who choose to buy these bundles are either too busy or too lazy to make an informed choice so they go with someone else’s picks…I would NEVER go this route! There are so many wonderful books out there. I definitely want to read what I like or think I’ll like. I look forward to reading and books are expensive. So I’ll definitely pick my own reading material!
September 16th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I enjoy reading someone I have not read before, because I find alot of good authors like that. I normally pick them out myself by reading excerpts,etc. The only way I might buy something like this is at a thrift store or garage sale, just to try them. I do not think I would want to pay full price to decide I don’t care for them.
September 25th, 2007 at 9:13 am
I don’t think that I would buy them either. I do a lot of browsing on the Internet for new authors to read. I also have a couple of friends who belong to book groups and read some of the books that they have read. Books are not in my home just to appear that the family reads. All of my family are very avid readers.