105 Ways to Give a Book

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I was popping by Amazon to look up a book, and a link for a list of recommendations caught my eye. I’ve seen it before — I think I have even looked at it before — but tonight it just seemed funny. Since I have purchased certain books on Amazon, they make some other recommendations. Since I purchased a Junie B. Jones book, I might like another. Okay. Since I purchased a Cynthia Rylant beginning-reader book, I might be interested in a different series of hers. Sure. Since I purchased a Disney music CD for my kids, I might want to know about another Disney product. Fine.

But the first book on my recommendation list, the book with no hint as to why it was suggested, was The Wind Boy, by Ethel Cook Eliot. I have never heard of it. It’s not new, having been republished in 1996. But this is Amazon’s top pick for me. The number one selection.

Also, because I bought How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? as a present for my nephew, he would certainly like Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. They are both picture books and... nothin’. I got nothin’ to connect these two books.

The most trouble comes from having bought Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. I swear, they’ve connected dozens of unrelated picture books to the purchase of this title. But my favorite, my very favorite, is assuming that I want to purchase The Tale of Despereaux. Because clearly I have been desperate to complete my collection of award-winning books from the year 2004, and I am only one Newbery winner short. Thanks Amazon, for thinking of my needs.
Category: 2 comments

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that it's all automated. So it just means that someone, somewhere, purchased both "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".

Where I get in trouble is when I purchase gift books - it completely messes up my recommendations. My Mom likes light quilting-related mysteries, my Dad likes country music and right-wing political books - Christmas wreaks havoc with my recommendations!

Anonymous said...

Looking at the recommendations cracks me up, too, especially since we do alot of shopping on there, for my husband, our 2 kids, and myriad relatives. Makes for quite a potpourri of recommendations. But I gotta say, nothing from this "Listmania!" list ever popped up!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/2G31W0SPWVAHC/ref=cm_lm_dtpa_fvlm_cfa_1/103-3294226-2995057