A Club to Avoid
I received a horrific offer in my mail yesterday to get five books for $1 by joining a book club, American Compass,Inc. My main problem was that I had such trouble picking my five books from this "Conservative Alternative." I don't think I would spend twenty cents for any of these books; in fact I wouldn't read them if they paid me.
This club is not exactly a Literary Guild, Book of the Month, or even like the Science Fiction club. Their brochure trumpets Ann Coulter's and Michael Savage's latest works. Apparently, those are the really hot items that will catch your eye and induce you to join up. Those didn't hook me - I would be ashamed to be seen recycling these.
Since most of their writer's work is fiction,I found the actual fiction offerings fascinating. Their brochure leads off of course with the latest from Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, The Rapture. Their tagline : "The countdown has almost reached zero !" Of course, they don't want to end it all quite so soon ("at zero"), because that would surely reduce sales. It's unlikely LaHaye could concoct a post-Rapture novel in which the (Christian)holy would be wandering around Heaven - sounds maybe a little dull, huh ? Also in fiction,I could have chosen the new novel by Oliver North, The Assassins. Mr. North, such a busy man, apparently had some help from co-author Joe Musser. You would think with two of them working on it, they could have found a new title, instead of using the one Elia Kazan used several years ago. For real teamwork though, Chuck Norris can't be beat. For his novel on the Justice Riders, he had a veritable committee of three helping him. So many choices.
I would only have to buy two more books this year for my commitment. If I don't, I would bet they have some great lawyers to come after me. When I checked a collateral offer on the web from this club, it said I had to buy four books to attain my commitment. Which is right? Informatively, it pointed out that although my five books cost a dollar, shipping and handling costs $12.95. Still, I could also get the free duffel bag or the free fleece...
posted by Jim at 8:25 AM
3 Comments:
A relative of mine suggested that I should read a book by Noam Chomsky, probably as he is concerned by my rather right wing views.
I like reading books and was all set to do so, that was until I read an article about how Chomsky had gone to the middle east recently and had a meeting with Hezbollah. Subsequent comments made by Chomsky in the wake of this meeting were concerning to say the very least!
So I haven't obtained a book by Noam Chomskey, Instead I am reading a book by Kenneth Timmerman.
I mention this as between your unwillingness to read books by right wing authors and my now stubborn refusal to touch a Chomsky authored book, there exists an ignorance that won’t do either of us any good...I suppose.:-)
Actually, I was joking. I've read some of all of these people - Coulter, Hannity, and O'Reilly and the like. I have trouble truly reading all the way through one of their works, but I do try. I also read lots of right wing blogs which I disagree with.
I certainly wouldn't want to prevent you from reading Noam Chomsky. Read, then decide.
Cheers Jim, my comment was too meant to be light hearted.
However I still don't think I'll be picking up a Chomsky book any time soon. I have just read a book on Tony Blair though, and even though many wouldn't consider him very left wing, I certainly gained a new appreciation of him, his ideals and aims since reading it.
Post a Comment
<< Home