I’ve been reading a lot about “Haul Videos” of late; obnoxious consumers make YouTube videos of all the crap they bought at the mall. It’s a close relation of the “Unboxing” phenomena, where tech nerds salubriously peel the plastic off their shiny new Macbooks etc. I find it repulsive and fascinating all at once! Here’s the closest you’ll ever get to seeing me do one: the second-hand book haul.
- The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2009
– edited by Dave Eggers. So, the angle of my photograph disguises it, but the Nana on the cover is actually reading the child a gun catalogue. Boom. I can already tell this is my sort of book. It’s a pretty fresh edition too, hurrah. $12.00
- Not Her Real Name and Other Stories
– Emily Perkins. Perkins spoke at a recent Pecha Kucha night here in Auckland – I loved her clear tone and thoughtful manner. Later on I realised I hadn’t yet picked up any of her books… I’m excited for this one! $7.00
- Design Writing Research
– Ellen Lupton. I have a new job writing on design and this discourse is one of the best examples of design writing in the field. A surprising find and bargain at $35.00
I also bought Laza some Kafka (he chose The Trial, I believe) and This Is Rome – a fantastic picture book from the 60′s by M. Sasek. And that’s my book haul!
Tagged as:
author,
books,
consumerism,
Design,
Writing & Books
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I really loved that Emily Perkins short story collection! Do pick up “Novel About My Wife” too, if you get a chance – it really is as good as everybody says it is.
Rebekah: It’s on my library list. Thought I better start at the beginning though :)
I love Design Writing Research, using it for my hons paper as we speak. I love her writing style, it’s such a great change from some of the hoity toity writing out there… Oh and it’s interesting aesthetically which helps too.
I 100% concur with Rebekah – I read Novel about my Wife after just browsing in borders, picking it up, reading the first page and HAVING to buy it so I could finish it.
I also thought it was so interesting to have a female author writing a first person male narrative. That seems quite rare.