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In spite of this library's ghostly warning, let's judge a book by its cover.
We know it's cliched, but summer is all about cliches and fun. So, what's the book you had to buy because the cover was so pretty/intriguing/wonderful that you figured it would look good face-forward on your bookshelf if nothing else?
For July, give us a book that we can use to strike up a conversation with cute boys on the El.
Image via aaron schmidt.
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I don't know that I've ever purchased a book specifically for its cover, but some books I own that happen to have cool covers are "Lipstick Traces" by Greil Marcus and "Home" by LeRoi Jones. I have a bunch of old editions of more popular books that I bought because they had a cool typeface on the cover, but those are a dime a dozen.
At first, I thought they were selling Sox baseball caps.
I suppose it depends on your definition of cute, but I've always tended to notice girls when they are reading books I've read or have been meaning to read. Cuteness levels rise with the perceived difficulty of the novel in question, so a librarian-ish type girl reading Infinite Jest or a Pynchon book would get a smile. I once saw a girl reading Love in the Time of Cholera and the John Cusack in me took note.
"this is not chick lit"
How about Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach, if you want to strike up conversations with cute morbid boys, or maybe Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill?
'stiff' is definitely a head-turner. didn't meet any morbid boys when i was reading it though :( maybe i should have flashed it around more..
Haunted: A Novel
by Chuck Palahniuk
That book was complete piece 'o crap, but the cover pulled me in and made me buy it.
Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy...the cover features a tobacco-card era drawing of a baseball player, the title has the same font as many of the baseball uniforms of the early part of the century, it has a grainy red background. I saw that and it pulled me in and then I read the summary and it's about the 1908 baseball season (when the words Cubs and dynasty were a natural pair). If I saw a girl on the EL reading a book about baseball, I'd definitely strike up a conversation.
Haunted is a great cover...I got a free copy and it was sitting in my room. then i went to bed one night and noticed the freaky face glowing. Horrible book though, as most of Palahniuk's are. If you've ever wondered what masturbation looks like all typed out, pick up one of his books.
I hate people that read intelectual and arrogant books. But I'm a grouch.
Try something by Bruce Wagner, his covers (especially the David Hockney art) really draws me in, and his writing is far superior to much of what is out there today.
And I would TOTALLY talk to a girl that was reading one of his books on the train. Holy crap, especially if she had green hair and big sexy glasses....
"Sex Tips for Girls" is a funny book with a pretty great cover. Not sure if the cute guy on the el would be intrigued or intimidated.
If you want to get a reaction, be reading The Guide to Getting it On by Paul Joannides. Despite its title, it's actually a great book that is more than a how-to guide and definitely makes people notice, especially if you have the page containing a picture of two T-rexes having sex open.
hentai much, kevin?
Maybe you could read a book on dieting and exercise?
And then you could be physically attractive and read books you read for the sake of good literature.
Fatty.
Devil in the White City, The Saloon: Public Drinking in Chicago and Boston, 1880-1920 by Perry Duis, Immortal Class by Culley (about bike messengers), High Fidelity by Hornby...
...aslo good are Chuck Klosterman's books Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A low culture manifesto & Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a true story
"Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Jesus' Childhood Friend" by Christopher Moore.
How could you ever pass that up?
I like to buy books with covers that compliment the colors of my couch as they sit on the coffee table.
wow Devil in the White City, so original
Zazie in the Metro by Queneau has a cute cover
It doesn't matter if Devil in the White City is original...they asked for books with great covers and Devil has a great cover.
One of the all time greatest book covers, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Thompson. The Steadman artwork is will definitely catch an eye, while the guy who really takes note will be the one who has read it (or at least seen the well-adapted movie). Drugs, Sex, Drugs, Las Vegas, he'll know your up for anything.