Buying Blogger Books

Books by bloggers seem to be popping up all over. I think this is a good thing. I am half way through one blogger's book and loving every page, and I have another blogger's book on order. A friend was curious about the book on my screen when he walked in to my office so I'll report our discussion of the book that is currently on order.

The conversation went something like this:

What's the book you just ordered?

It's called Silent America: Essays from a democracy at war.

Who wrote it?

Bill Whittle.

Who's that?

He writes a blog called Eject! Eject! Eject!.

You read his blog so you think the book will be good?

I know the book is good.

How do you know that?

It's made up of essays he has posted on his site.

So you've read it already?

Yes.

And your buying a copy.

Yes.

Can't you just go back an read the blog anytime you want.

Yes. It's all still there.

So you've read it all already for free. It's all online for you to read again. For Free. And you're buying a copy of it anyway. How much?

It's about $30

$30?

Plus shipping.

Why would you do this?

Two reasons really. One. The essays are really good and I have gotten a lot from reading them. Easily more than $30 worth of enjoyment. Two. I don't see it so much as paying for the stuff I've already read, but hopefully convincing him to write some more.

It still doesn't make sense.

It's an exchange of values. He puts a lot of effort and thought into the writing and put a lot of time and effort into producing the book. I value the content of the work and the effort that went into it. He is offering the work for sale in this form. I value it enough that I am willing to trade $30 plus shipping to have it. Frankly I would have happily paid more.

That other bloggers book.

Here's a taste of the blogger's book I'm reading now:

If you look at this room long enough you can make up your own Love American Style plots:

Karen Valentine is in a tizzy - she's invited both Bert Convey and Ted Bessell over for supper on the same night, and they are both expecting sex. After all, it is their first date and it's 1971, and if the pink furniture doesn't scream "she''s as loose as the nickel slots in Reno," then everything we've learned from television is wrong.

Cue the perky Herb Alpert-derived brass, rev up the laugh track, and steel yourself for an inevitable guest appearance by Jo Ann Worley. Stay tuned for the news at 11:00: Vietnam and Nixon.

Still think the 70's were cool, kids?

The author of this brutally funny book about the horrors of 1970's interiors is blogger James Lileks. The Book is called Interior Desecrations and it is the perfect answer to those who think that the 70's are retro cool. The images were obviously scanned from old magazines and it is telling that some of the obvious moire patterns introduced in their reproduction actually blend well with some the room designs.

I highly recommend that both books be on your reading list. Buy at least on copy of each and help to make sure both of these guys are well motivated to keep doing what they do.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 12:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment