What’s more fun than packing? Lots. Books are the worst. Nobody ever seems to have boxes they’re giving away (I’ve already tried the place you’re thinking of.) I should go to the shuk; now there’s a place with boxes. If they pause and say, “for you, my friend, special price”, I’m starting a riot, LA-style.
And as I wrote yesterday on my FB wall, here’s some shopping advice for the Middle East. For each second the merchant pauses before telling the price, subtract 10% from what he says for the real cost. “Dude, it’s a toilet paper roll holder thingy. Cut the mental math and let’s be done with it.”
We’re all packrats when it comes to something. I’m pretty good but it’s hard to get rid of books. Let’s be honest-if I haven’t found a reason to open “Three’s Company: Behind the Scenes with Jack, Janet, and the Rotating Chick” in five years, I probably don’t need it. (If I actually had this book, no way would I be getting rid of it.)
In short, before I return to packing, anybody want these books? I thought about including Amazon links but I don’t have THAT much time to spare. Here are the rules: you have to come get the book.
Ok, that’s pretty much it. First come, first served.
God Save the Fan, Will Leitch (creator of Deadspin)
Hope, Not Fear (one of the Bronfmans….like the Baldwin brothers, I never remember which is which)
The Wisdom of Crowds, James Surowiecki (compared to Gladwell….without the afro)
Motley Fool Investment Guide, the homeless guy on the corner (just kidding)
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, Chuck Klosterman (never got into his writing, love his podcasts with Bill Simmons)
The Hobbit, J.R. Tolkein (did he write these books before or after he got shot?)
Rolling Stone, the Michael Jackson post-death edition (just kidding, you think I’d give that up?)
סיפור ורוד, (A Pink Story), Ilana Zeffren (Israel’s first adult cartoon book, I think, written by my friend Ilana Zeffren who writes the cartoon on the last page of Achbar Ha’ir. This book is very Tel Aviv and explores GLBT and sexual themes, it looks to me. If you want to make the heads of everyone in Mea Shearim blow up, do a public reading on Saturday. I love you, Ilana, but I gotta get rid of stuff. Who am I kidding, you’re not reading this.)
Nickel and Dimed, On (Not) Getting By in America, Barbara Ehrenreich (NYT best-seller)
Feminists Theorize the Political, edited by Judith Butler and Joan W. Scott (silly me for agreeing to drop this off somewhere for a friend moving back to the US…been sitting on my shelf for 9 months)
Jewish Cooking for Dummies, some balebusteh (inherited when a friend moved to the US 4 years ago…also been collecting dust)
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan (NYT best-seller, interesting topic, just too academic and boring to me….but you’ll probably like it)
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Tucker Max (NYT best-seller, holy crap, ladies, do not read this book)
I also have 47,000 Ulpan books but I think I should hold onto those. Back to work.
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