Imagine a book—in this case the 1934 novel The Street of Crocodiles, a surrealistic set of linked stories by the Polish Holocaust victim Bruno Schulz—whose pages have been cut out to form a latticework of words. The result is a new, much shorter story and a paper sculpture, a remarkable piece of inert, unclickable technology: the anti-Kindle. Reading it is a little like going through an FBI document full of blacked-out passages, except that the excised portions are now holes through which you get glimpses of subsequent text. The format slows your eye down (though it helps if you slightly lift the page you’re on), but the book is so brief that it can still be read in half an hour.Creating the book was so expensive, the publisher, just to break even, had to price the paperback at $40.
I say it’s a novelty, but won’t get my $40. What do you say?
Sorry, think I'll pass as well.
ReplyDeleteYuck. I can't think of another word for it.
ReplyDeleteWow. Sort of like reading the WikiLeaks docs.:) No, I think I'll keep my money on this one. Although kudos to them for getting good press! The NY Magazine? Nice publicity!
ReplyDeleteI vote for wacky on this one.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it they say, that a good story sells itself, quality's all in the writing? This is way too gimmicky, and in a time when publishing is supposedly taking all kinds of financial hits, who'd approve of this expense?
ReplyDeleteI'll keep my money in my wallet, thank you very much. I might bite on a lot of gimmicks, but not this one.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to take a look at it. It looks fascinating, but I won't dish out $40 for it.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me to be more art than book. And I've got plenty of art from my kids' elementary days.
ReplyDeleteThere are other books that are higher up on my shopping list
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
In my word where 1 US dollar=P7 I certinaly cannot afford a book like that. Might checke it out from the library to see what it's all about though. I'm up for most things.
ReplyDeleteThis is a game, not a book. There is a lot of neat, innovative formats for books now, but they still remain a book - a story that one reads from beginning to end. This game might appeal to some people and it might end up being quite popular. I just wish they wouldn't call it a book. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt might make a good Christmas present for someone who has "eveything," but it's not for me.
ReplyDeleteIt is quirky enough that if I had the financial leeway, I would find this a fun coffee table book, or bedside in the guest room (aka: futon in the basement) but no... not rushing out. It will be a long time before $40 on whimsy seems a good idea to me.
ReplyDeleteThere are some books I might spent $40 on, say a first edition, signed copy of something by Shakespeare or Hemingway or something, but not this.
ReplyDeleteIf I had the money to collect, I would pick up this book. It's a neat concept that might have been better served as a netbook. weird.
ReplyDeleteWacky! Wow, are there not enough book formats yet? Only a few will stick and I don't believe this will be one of them.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting concept, but it isn't something I'd pay that much for.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of gimmic selling, but that's really stretching. Put me on the "won't buy" list.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see one, but it's hardly worth $10 to me.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see it, but I probably wouldn't buy it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe at some point in the future we'll find out how the sales are going.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't buy anything like that. Guess I'm too serious and too much of a penny pincher.
ReplyDeleteI have no patience for this kind of book. What be so obtuse?
ReplyDeleteI vote "Just Wacky."
ReplyDelete~jon
Sounds awful. I would not buy it.
ReplyDelete