This being a blog about books and writing, it's time for some open-ended questions. Here in America December is
the high-volume month of the selling year, and the book business is no exception. In the next four weeks
millions of books will be sold, and then wrapped in pretty paper and bows and given to other people, who will tear open said paper and bows and express their absolute delight at receiving said books, after which they will place the books in positions of prominence on bookshelves or coffee tables and never open them again.
Even without thinking of all the innocent trees slaughtered to support this ritual, we consider this a travesty. Books are meant to be
read. Writing without readers is like sex without a partner, or a day without absinthe. So given that the objective is that the book be read: what books are you thinking of giving to others for Christmas this year?
Conversely, what books might you be hoping to receive?
And finally, what book would you be delighted to find, either on the store shelves or inside the gift-wrap, but you don't think it exists?
Your thoughts and comments, s'il vous plait?
~brb
P.S. The Mrs has of course put in a request for Going Rogue, by Sarah Palin, preferably signed, so I guess I'll be going to the Mall of America after all. But thinking about this book renders me slightly astonished that some wag—say, Al Franken—has not already rushed out the painfully obvious parody, Going Rouge.
Oh wait, that's right, Franken is now in the Senate, doing... Well, I'm certain he's doing something important, that makes that whole ridiculous ordeal of last year's election worthwhile.
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