So many of the books at amazon are rehashed inferior versions of lively websites. I’ve been browsing to find some extremely undemanding summer reading and noticed that the apparently popular of V series reviews mention that V is known from the “Redbook Web site” (sic). Of course I hit google, and found that V has indeed been chronicling her life every Friday since 1997.

Another book that I won’t blog the title of because it’s too embarrassing (it was awful) turned out to consist mostly of a purple fake-suede cover and a catchy though imprecise title surrounding dozens of letters from readers, all available at a website. To be fair, the paper the letters were printed on was thick and pleasant to the touch, and the pages were decorated throughout in cute colour-printed flowers – but then, so is the website. I wrote a grumpy review at amazon and stated the URL of the author’s website, recommending that would-be-buyers just read the letters online instead – and hey presto, that’s the first amazon review I’ve ever written that’s not been published. I guess they don’t like you giving other readers the URL to the book’s content, huh? (update: no they don’t and it’s in their guidelines. No phone numbers, no URLs.)

I probably won’t buy V’s diaries. But then again, it’s easier to read a paperback than a PDA or a powerbook on the beach. And you don’t need to worry about paperbacks getting lost, broken or stolen.