Free Books, Giveaways & Other Musing

If there's one thing a book hunter loves more than a book, it's a free book! Cheesy and predictable, I know but that doesn't rob it from the truth. Last year, without much announcement, I found a copy of Madeleine Wickham's - otherwise known as the Shopaholic Series writer, Sophie Kinsella - A Desirable Residence. Fearing the worse - a book hunter blackout shopping spree - I didn't know where the book came from. I checked out GoodReads, vaguely remembering that I had signed up for several of their giveaways. Lo and behold, I learned that I had won the giveaway for the novel. 

Because I'm horrible at following my preassigned queue - take this year's challenge for instance: I was supposed to read a bunch of books of and about religion and so far only managed to read an essay and half of a book - I still haven't read the novel. Today, however, I got some more amazing news:

Congratulations Guillermo!

You are one of our First Reads lucky winners! You will soon receive a free copy of Doc: A Novel in the mail. Please allow a few weeks for shipping.

Don't forget to add the book to your Goodreads currently-reading shelf, and we encourage you to also add it to a "first-reads" shelf when you are done reading. Posting a review is optional, but please keep in mind that reviewing the book is in the spirit of First Reads. Publishers provide free copies to Goodreads in hopes of getting early feedback about the book. First Readers who post reviews are also more likely to win free books in the future!

If you have further questions, please contact [redacted], who listed this book for giveaway. Goodreads is not involved in the shipment of books to winners. Books usually arrive within 4-6 weeks. If you've waited more than 30 days, visit the Giveaway Details page to let us know you haven't received your copy.

Thanks for playing!

The Goodreads staff

I haven't a clue - well, I didn't at the time - who wrote the book (Mary Doria Russell) or what the novel was about (Doc Holliday), but that didn't matter. What mattered was I won it.

As I continued flipping through my e-mail, I came across a message sent to me via GoodReads from someone who works over at Quirk Books (the publishers who brought us Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls). Letting me down easily and then picking up my spirits, the writer informed me of the following:

Hey there Guillermo!

Saw you entered the giveaway for a copy of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After. It just wrapped up and I was going through the folks who entered. Spotted your blog, saw you didn’t win… and thought I’d reach out to see if you wanted a review copy. :)

My name’s [redacted], I’m the social media marketing guy for Quirk Books, the publisher of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. It’s my job to find book bloggers like you who are into our books, and I figured I’d see if you were still interested.

Let me know! I’ll drop a copy in the mail for you soon. :D

[redacted]

I nearly pissed my pants, I tell you. The excitement - not to mention several glass of cool, refreshing ice tea - was overbearing. I can't tell you how excited I am about this. Not only did I win a copy of a book about Doc Holliday - who I remember as Val Kilmer playing rather than Dennis Quaid - but my book blog was noticed by someone from Quirk Books. You bet your sweet ass I'm gonna sit down and read the hell out of those books - and A Desirable Residence - when they arrive. Until next time, keep on huntin'. And check out the giveaway section over at GoodReads.

P.S. While I'm on the subject of giveaways, I'm still strongly in favor of opening a giveaway for this blog. I haven't found a book to give out, but I'm working on it. Tomorrow I'm book hunting with Monica so who knows.

Justbookends.com - Variety, Sweet Variety

A Sordid Love Affair

Amazon Kindle (wifi) conquers bound books

It was a conversation that took place almost six years ago that keeps repeating itself in my head. I'm in the office of my then creative writing professor, Rene Saldana, Jr., chatting up a storm - which I was known to do in those days with my college professors. He brought up the conversation about the future of books, asking me what I thought of it. The conversation is vague in my head, but my answer was somewhere along the lines of, "E-books aside, the printed word is here to stay.*" It was around then that the steady of slump in newspaper sells was being noted. Magazines were now offering digital subscriptions. It seemed that the printed age was coming to an end. But I was steadfast and headstrong. "People are always going to buy books." Let the pseudo readers have their electronic readers. Let them have their digital copies. Real readers, like me, will always want to have our shelves filled with pages of authors long since passed and the words of our contemporaries. 

Fast-forward five years, a more "adult" me sees the new Amazon Kindle with free 3G and WiFi. I feel this sudden urge to claim one of my own. But what of the highlighting of important passages? What of scribbling notes on a Post-It and sticking it to the margins - I've never been one who could bring myself to writing in my books (other than text books, of course). It's only my weakness when I realize that Kindle offers all this, sans having to find that pen and sticky note. It's at my fingertips. Everything I ever wanted. Was I wrong all those years ago? Or have I just come to term that I'm not a real reader, but one of the pseudo lot. Am I cheating on the printed word?

Not every book is available, yet.

And why the Kindle and not the Nook or whatever it is Borders offers? Why not an iPad instead? Well, the Nook isn't attractive to the eye. We don't have a Borders here so I hold some prejudice against them. And I despise all things Apple as I see most people who own it in the same light that I see people who buy Starbucks - pretentious sheep who aren't clever enough to realize they're not buying a product, but a name. Monica even made a case with an iPad, stating she's just download the free app. But whenever I think about the apps I downloaded for my phone and netbook, I can't help to think of my face. Because that's pretty much what I'm looking at. 

See what really got me hooked on the Kindle was the E Ink Pearl technology - which means, rather than it feeling like you're looking at some screen, you have this illusion that you're reading a real book - save all the trees that had to die in the process. Not to mention it's also pencil thin. 

Another friend, Eddie, mentioned how he hasn't read a conventional book since he got his. I don't plan on turning my back on bound books, but I do plan to buy less classics (whenever possible). Public Domain books, for the most part, are free. And what beat free? We'll see where this leads me in the end, but so far, this little guy is going to make 2011 that much more entertaining for me. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

*Trust me when I say this, I didn't sound anything like that. What's the point of having a blog if I can't powder myself up?

Start the Spring Semester right & save money

The First Book of 2011

After a long, terrible night of pain and barking dogs - not exactly how I envisioned my New Year's Eve - I woke up to a text message from Monica:

Monica: Is it too late for the first dew of the year?
Me: Never. Hey, guess which shirt I just put on xD
Monica: Wanna go book hunting or something? I'm bored. Hehe. 

The salutation text was a response to my New Year's tweet I made the previous night, but it was a great opener because I had just pulled my Mountain Dew T-shirt over my head when my BlackBerry chimed. And of course, I'm never one who ditches the opportunity to book hunt. Not to mention, book hunting with Monica and Sidney is always sort of an exercise as that little girl likes to pull me around. My sore body, on the other hand, did not appreciate this, but my mentality loved it. I'm in a better mood because of it. 

But that's beside the point. You're probably wondering what this Book Hunter managed to buy on the first day of the year 2011 - pronounced Twenty-Eleven (which, hopefully, is what Esquire's going to call it). Well, I set off to buy a calendar because I still haven't purchased one and Barnes & Noble always has them for about 50% off at this time. I purchased a Thich Nhat Hanh's calendar, matching the one I had for 2010. But it was Monica who found the first book of the new year - a copy of the Barnes & Noble published H. P. Lovecraft's collection - which, by the way, is only $7.99 online. It sort of makes me wish I checked it out on the website instead.

You can also purchase the Thich Nhat Hanh mini calendar for only $3.99 on the Barnes & Noble site. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

After Holiday Sale - Save 50% or more on Books, Music, Movies and more, PLUS Free Shipping. Shop Now

My Erotica, or My Unquenchable Lust for Books

Monday afternoon, I woke up to find my copy of Coming & Crying at my doorstep. This, as you all know, is the book hunter equivalent to finding a baby in a basket. The book was edited by Melissa Gira Grant and Meaghan O'Connell and I only learned of it after the KickStarter for it had ended. If you're like me, you can purchase a copy here. 

Also, in the mail, my copy of Vladimir Nabokov's The Original of Laura arrived. If you recall, I mentioned the book last year when it was announced that Playboy was going to release an excerpt in their December issue.

After that, I got dressed and headed out with Monica and Binx to book hunt because that's what we do whenever we're together. First stop led us to Georgia's Thrift Shop where I picked up a copy of Brian Keene's Urban Gothic. Afterward, we wound up at Books -n- Things where I picked up a copy of The Stand - the unabridged copy, as I already have the original published piece - and William Gibson's Neuromancer.  

Today was another day of book hunting, where I purchased a copy of Brian Lumley's Maze of Worlds - only a $1.50! - and No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy. 

I think that concludes - fingers crossed - my book hunting for the rest of the year. My queue is backed up to next December, I believe. Oh well, until next time, keep on huntin'.

Anyone Can Do Philosophy Now: 10 "and Philosophy" titles.

Once upon the time, Monica and I had this game going for the best For Dummies titles - this soon included Idiot's Guide titles. From Pregnancy for Dummies to Idiot's Guide to the Paranormal, we had a blast with those titles. Each time we found one, we'd text or pic messaged the title in order to procure the invisible crown.

While those days are setting, they are not gone. In the wake with the sudden bloom of the pop culture and philosophy books, we decided that the game needed a tune up. Mostly because during our book hunt at Barnes and Nobel, I spied with my little eye one World of Warcraft and Philosophy. I snatched it from the shelf and handed it over to her, saying, "Here, this is for you." Lately, my fellow book hunter has fallen prey to the grasps of the MMORPG world. She jokes by saying, "I'll see you there in two weeks," an inside joke about the time when she joined Second Life and had to endure my nerd jokes only for me to join the ranks two weeks later. 

What started with Seinfeld and Philosophy, for us anyway, has now bloomed into several titles - from Twilight and Philosophy to Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, hitting everything in between. I suppose it's about time that I share my favorite titles with the world.

1. Watchmen and Philosophy - Quite frankly, this is the first and only title from the series I've read in full. Mostly because the world of Watchmen is so full of questions that left me pondering after reading the graphic novel and watching the film. If you're wondering - yes, it has a lot do with Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach. 
2. The Undead and Philosophy - Subtitled Chicken Soup for the Soulless, this book proves that even the brain eating, blood sucking undead have a set of rules they live by. And sometimes they cause us to live by a new set of rules, or return to an older set. This collection of essays on the undead was later republished under the title Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy in order to cater to the fang bangers (thank you True Blood!) that have multiplied over the last few years. To be brutally honest, only a small portion of essays piqued my interest, the zombie ones. I'm not a fan of vampire thought or the current vampire sensation - thank you Stephanie Meyer, you poor excuse of a writer. 
3. Bob Dylan and Philosophy - If any musician needs a book dedicated to the philosophy of his words, it's Bob Dylan. Metallica can go fuck themselves, those greedy talentless bastards. While I haven't read the book, I still want it for the sake of owning something else Bob Dylan. I swear, I'm  not obsessed. 
4. Batman and Philosophy - The Dark Knight indeed has his own philosophy, as does his mythos - damn, Clive Barker was right about that term being thrown around loosely. While we're on the subject of superheroes/supervillains, the collection also has a more general title, Superheroes and Philosophy. However, I prefer the counterpart, Supervillains and Philosophy.
5. Mr. Monk and Philosophy - Let's sit back on this one for a moment. Why do I want this? The question really should be is how can I live without it? 
6. House and Philosophy - Another book inspired from a TV show - there will be a couple more shortly - the only reason I want this book is for its subtitle, Everybody Lies. I know it's a poor reason for wanting a book, but this aren't exactly the best books to buy. That won't stop me, though.
7. Bullshit and Philosophy - I read the essay On Bullshit, which I stupidly bought thinking it might be worth my while (it was, but not worth my money). This book intrigues me because so many essays were sparked from a single essay. The book is much larger than its inspiration. Doesn't make it good, just makes it interesting.
8. Stephen Colbert and Philosophy - What started as a spin off has now grown into a cultural sensation. The conservative news satire is something of a guilty pleasure - one part Daily Show, two parts a bloated Bill O'Reilly attitude. If any late night fake news show deserves a philosophy book, it would have to be Stephen Colbert. 
9. Introducing Philosophy Through Pop Culture: From Socrates to South Park, Hume to House - While not exactly an "and Philosophy" title, this yet-to-be-release collection is the embodiment of what the publisher originally set off to do - give an philosophical insight to the masses through familiar territory - their television. 
10. The Simpsons and Philosophy - If you need this book, then you're not watching the show correctly. However, this book needs to be on your shelf, regardless. While I still haven't gained access to the coveted book, it is one I've wanted for a long time. If the price is right and the gratification is quick.

Now I feel I should mention one more that didn't make the list. Terminator and Philosophy doesn't really grasp my full attention, but does contain a single essay that I would like to own. If I do venture out to buy this one book, it would be solely for that essay, written by Jeff Ewing - the husband of a friend. 

The vampire sensation has birthed yet another collection of philosophical essays - True Blood and Philosophy was found at Barnes today. I don't know how long it's been around, but it does sink its teeth into the gay marriage argument - which I expected it would. 

So there, we go. The series that allows the everyman to read philosophy while avoiding the constant head scratching. My only hope that somewhere down the line the publisher decides to compile a Hellraiser and Philosophy, because if there is one pop culture reference that is chuck full of philosophy, it's the depraved world of Hellraiser.

Now that this is settled, I shall now go off and find myself some amusing titles. If only to protect my imaginary crown. 

Until next time, keep on huntin'.