The other day I was at Costco and, as usual, made a run through the book section. What I saw there had me cracking up for the rest of the day:
Classics. Right on. Why so amused, then?
Because the books were all neatly displayed at the young-adult end of the table, next to the Twilight series. Sorry, “saga”:
I’m all for encouraging folks to read the classics, I just think it’s kind of… amusingly sad I guess?… that publishers are resorting to this sort of transparent pandering.
What really gets me rolling, though, is the idea of a sparkly Heathcliff.
Sparklecliff!
::giggle::snort::
I wonder how effective these covers will be in selling these books, and I wonder how the people who might never have given them a chance otherwise will feel about them. I fervently hope that at least a few 13-year-olds will have their reading horizons broadened in a way that will instill a love of books in them forever. Meanwhile, OMG, go to the store and get one of the classics in a cover that isn’t so horrifying to carry around.
Sparklecliff!
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4 Responses to Glittering-up the classics
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Craftgawker
Etsy Mini
snort. Edward vs. Heathcliff. Of course there is no comparison (although I did enjoy the Twilight series!) Even though I want the younger generation to read the classics, I am also in favor of books that get them to read. Anything over video games, right?
Har! That is one excellent PR hack!
Choice!
I think embarrassing book covers are partially responsible for my recent switch to a digital reader (I did read the twilight series – tried to hide the ugly books in brown paper). Additionally, all those great classics (Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, etc.) are public domain books and therefore can be downloaded for free (I have both on my reader, along with the complete Wizard of Oz series).