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The Literary Life
From the staff of BookSwim.com
Month: March, 2009
GoodyBlog: “Swimming in Books” by Cheryl Lock
Read the full article at goodyblog.com
If you’re like me, you spend way too much money on books…
…I’d suggest starting with Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss — it’s one of my personal favorites.
DailyGrommet: “BookSwim Book Rental” by Monica Marsden
See full article and video at DailyGrommet.com
Borrow a Book
We love books, especially those juicy, page-turning bestsellers. But in these recessionary times, the average cost of a hardback ($26!) has put a cramp in our reading style. Sure we frequent the public library when we can, but unfortunately we can’t ever seem to get our hands on the latest must-read due to long waiting lists. (Plus, the library doesn’t serve mocha lattes or let us browse in our pajamas at 2 a.m.)
Enter BookSwim, a Netflix-style service for readers that specializes in current hardcovers. The concept is simple. Sign up for a monthly subscription (ranging from $20-$40 depending on how many books you want to have checked out at one time). Then log on to the the BookSwim site and set up your reading list. BookSwim mails you the books you crave, along with a prepaid shipping mailer to send them back. Keep books as long as you like (there are no late fees) and Book Swim ships you more upon their return.
The site was founded by George Burke who used to spend hours reading the latest releases at his local bookstore café, then put them back on the shelf at the end of the night. He noticed others were doing the same thing and got inspired to create a community for readers like himself. Their motto: read more, pay less.
And if a must-read becomes a must-have, no problem. BookSwim’s “try before you buy” policy lets you pay for any book that you just don’t want to send back.
— Monica
Where’s the Literary Life?
Hey out there in internet land. In the course of one’s life, one may find the compulsion to say to oneself: “Boy, I wish I had a Literary Life podcast to listen to right now. Where did Chip & Eric go?”
Sorry for the radio silence, folks. As fate would have it, we’re here scrambling like mad with the great work: the Sistine Chapel of graphic design; the iPod of site functionality, speed, and grace. You know what I’m talking about: the relaunch of BookSwim’s website.
We’re currently scheduled to unveil BookSwim 3.0 in the first week of May. In the meantime, expect a limited return of the Literary Life with silly surveys on Tuesday and blogging on Thursdays. And if this doesn’t quite fill your Literary Life needs, fear not; we’ll return in force after the site relaunch.
Onwards & upwards!
–Chip
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Bargain shopping for bookworms” by Karen Deer
Read the full article at STLToday.com
For cost-conscious readers who want to trade, borrow or buy books, here’s a few budget solutions…
…Bookswim.com lets you organize a “pool” of titles you’d like to rent (just like a Netflix queue); for $20 to $40 a month. You’ll receive 2 or more at a time. Shipping is included in the subscription fee and you can buy any BookSwim rental at the click of a button…
KFOR.com: “Saving a buck on college” by Chellie Mills
Read the full article at KFOR.com
OKLAHOMA CITY — A college degree can come with a pretty hefty price tag, but believe it or not there are ways to save on tuition and fees. Alex Wilkes, a sophomore at Oklahoma City Community College, found a great way to save money. She’s taking part in a program the school offers called OKC-GO….
…Another tip, consider going to school close to home. You should also apply for as many scholarships as you can while you are in high school.
New Jersey On-Line: “BookSwim CFO’s line of experience” by Susan Todd
Read the full article at NJ.com
When your title is chief financial officer, there’s no escaping the recession.
Todd Marrazzo, CFO of BookSwim Corp., knows the challenges of trying to secure credit and the advantages of hoarding cash in a stormy economy. BookSwim is similar to Netflix except it deals in books, making two or three available each month to fee-paying members….
…For a premium, if the clients go into bankruptcy, for example, the insurer comes in, cuts you a check and then tries to recover the money from the client. It’s a cushion. The financial institutions love it.
MarketWatch.com: “Book Industry Turns The Page” by Dan Gallagher
Read the full article at MarketWatch.com
Amazon.com has become one of the biggest players in the book business with its state-of-the-art distribution network and Kindle e-reader, but other business models are coming into focus. BookSwim is a young New Jersey company that allows customers to rent books online the same way Netflix rents out DVDs.
WRLR 98.3 TechTalk: “Episode 141 – Eric Ginsberg of BookSwim”
Listen to the interview at TechTalk.com
TOPIC: March 7 – Paper or plastic? What a blast, this week we get a chance to really dig deep into BookSwim.com’s unique answer to how to get your lit on! We hear about the Kindle, e-books, libraries, and where where the author’s guild got it wrong.
Silly Survey (theatrical edition)
Copious kudos are owed to that lovable rapscallion, Oliver Twist, who, by a whopping 57%, is the most beloved Dickensian scamp among our members.
Books have long been the inspiration for film, but ever since Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings first splashed onto screens in 2001, Hollywood has been looking to the bookshelves for inspiration with growing frequency. In fact, it seems that just about every book that’s been a hit in the last few years are all being made into blockbuster hopefuls.
Thus far, in 2009 alone, we’ve seen film adaptations of He’s Just Not That Into You, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and Coraline, just to name a few. And there are more on the way!
This week, we want to know which upcoming literary foray into film has you the most excited. Cast your vote and see how your favorite stacks up.
Also, be sure to let us know what question you’d like posed for March’s upcoming Top Ten
Literary Life podcast (w/ guest: Matt Fraction)
The Literary Life’s Chip & Eric are at it again with what can only be described as the greatest podcast ever. Ever? Ever. This week, the dynamic duo discuss such enthralling things as books, authors and the secret location of the mythic fountain of youth (minus that list bit about a fountain).
But most importantly, this week’s podcast features The BookSwim Minute exclusive interview with author, Matt Fraction. It may be the single most important piece of journalism in all of history. You don’t want to miss it.
Also, as promised, you can check out BookSwim co-founder, George Burke, in last week’s USA Today and enjoy the full hilarity that is the subject of this week’s “Folks Who Just Don’t Get It” segment, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart. But don’t cheat and check these links out before listening to this week’s show.
Now be certain to let us know what question you want posed for March’s Top Ten and vote in this week’s Silly Survey.
And be sure to let us know just how awesome (on a scale of 8-10) you think our Matt Fraction interview was in the comments section, below.