QPB

Right, so lately I haven't been reading as much as I would like, but I do get some time in during my two-stop commute. You know, like a few pages. Unless it's super crowded or there's a creepy-creep inching too close to me. And Northworst has provided a few hours here and there when I make the hop to Detroit every other weekend :)

Anyway, I've been a member of this fab book club for a few years now - since living in Ann Arbor, I think. Soooo... four or five years? I don't know. I was seduced by the "get six books for a dollar each" dealio, and I got sucked in. I also liked that I could buy naughty books if I so desired, and the guy at Borders wouldn't give me an inquisitive once-over, wondering why someone who looks so young is buying the Kama Sutra (and dammit, what a waste! No pictures! Heh... I mean, what?)

But it's not like the Columbia House CD thing - you don't get stuck with stuff you don't want or have to mail stuff back. They don't make you mail the "main selection" cards back in - you just go online and, clickety click! "please send!," or "no thanks!" And they give you over a month to make a decision.

Of course, I've been burned by forgetting to respond - sort of. The first time this happened, I received two books that I probably would have glazed right over: The Toughest Indian in the World by Sherman Alexie and The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter.

I had to read Alexie for a class in college (American Studies 101: Easiest. 'A.' Ever.), and his tales of life on a reservation were beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. But I had never heard of Baxter. Turns out, he's an English prof at U of M. And The Feast of Love? Easily one of the best books I've ever read. Top five, for sure (and that includes P&P and TKAM). It was wonderful - I've lent it to so many people since then, and it's been well-received by both guys and gals. Definitely not chick lit or whatever you might call it. Since then, I've been a bit disappointed with his other works, as they're mostly about couples cheating on each other or contemplating cheating or divorcing or sadness. A little too depressing, really. But that book, gosh. Let me know if you'd like to borrow it, seriously!

So really, even in the few instances when I forgot to respond in time, I've always been pleasantly surprised with the selections I receive. The club is really up to date on hot new authors and whatnot, so I feel like I am reading all of these great books before the rest of the world has caught up!

And QPB is where I discovered some other gems. Memoirs of a Geisha? Read that four years ago. It's going to be a movie soon, and I can't wait! The Eyre Affair? If you enjoy English/American literature, this book is a must-read!

I just finished The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a fat book I picked up at the used bookstore at Eastern Market - but only because I bought one of his other books from QPB and discovered that K&C won the Pulitzer. And now I know why. It was amazing! Hence the title.

There are way more -- too many to list. They have a fab selection of history, nonfiction, cookbooks, etc. And you get stuff in "early softcover," which is perfect for impatient little-ol'-me.
Try it out!