Book club

[nemesis]

I looked over the choices in the bookclub leaflet you get in prog 2002 and it seemed like a great deal to get all those Dredd, Death and Halo Jones books for so cheap so i wrote off. I was just wondering if anybody is a member or has been a member of these bookclubs? do they treat you nicely or is there a hidden catch waiting for me? proceeding with caution--nemesis

[paulvonscott]

I've often thought that if I ever have one thing on my gravestone, family crest or above the doorway of my sponsored institue of learning it would be the simple yet invaluable advice:

Never join a book club.

Even I was very tempted by the offer.  But I've been tempted before and always regretted it.  So I've decided to forget it.  I have joined several such clubs over the years and have always felt cheated, used and yes, even dirty at the end of the experience.  

Each couple of months they will send you a catalogue.  You will have to buy one book (usually one you don't want) in club hardback + postage and insurance costs.  In addition if you forget to tick the appropriate box you will be sent another book you don't want.  If you forget to unsubscribe you may have to buy more books you don't want.

As long as you remember there is no such thing as a free lunch.  They aren't a con exactly but they are going to make money out of you.  

That offer looks to me like you could save money at the end of it as long as all the cheap books are ones that you would have bought anyway at full price.  Just make sure you send all the appropriate forms back as soon as you get them with all the correct boxes ticked, and unsubscribe as soon as they let you or they'll have you.

Hope that helps.  When I take over this dreadful planet I'll be abolishing all book clubs anyway, but that may not be for several hundred of your earth years yet, so don't count on it.

[Trough]

Couldn't agree more.  

I was a member of a certain music-related club for a while (won't name them, but it rhymed with Gritannia), and I had nothing but trouble with them.  They sent me stuff I never ordered, took months to refund errors, and I had to write to them four or five times to cancel my subscription (during which time they sent me yet more unordered stuff, for which they demanded payment).

Avoid like the plague.

Trough

[Jayzus B. Christ]

Never joined one, but my mam did years ago and has warned me against it ever since.
Listen to Jayzus's mam, Trough. She knows.

[Mudcrab]

I've been a member of that very one for a many years now. Here's how it went with me. I got sh*tloads of good books (LOTR etc) for next to nothing, then for each of the mandatory monthly purchases, I bought a graphic novel, usually the cheapest one. Built up quite a good collection of them too. Then I cancelled it once the time period was up. 6 months later I got an offer of a free book if I'd join again, which I did, got quite a few books I wanted and graphic novels again. Then I cancelled again, getting fed up with the need to buy something every couple of months or whatever. I got a reply saying that if I changed my mind, they'd remove the requirement to purchase one every magazine. Hey presto, cheap books with no obligations. I don't want to be an advert but I've found them to be pretty good, especially if you like fantasy books.

[Thread Zero]

Hey folks, this is the scojo way to beat book clubs at their own game.

What you do is this:

You send off a false name and address.
The address you give must be someone close, like your grandmother or someone similar.

A few weeks pass, the books arrive at grandma. You tell her to keep them. You go around and take them.

The book club then inquire. However you do not live at that address. If they say you do, you can prove you don't because your name and address are on the electoral register. Or show them an old gas bill or something. Anything that proves you do not live at that address.

Your grandma of course knows nothing about this so called book club. Go prove it she says if they pester her. She doesn't know you from Adam. Different surname she has you see(on your mother's side- your mum's mother you see).

This trick should only be done once however with that address!

Juat a idea. Never done it myself though.

scojo the master criminal

[Thread Zero]

You can do the trick using a friend instead of grandma.

But makes sure you trust him or her.

scojo

[paulvonscott]

Yes, you did everything exactly right and if you buy a lot of fantasy/sf books then you may be okay.

If you are the sort of person who might forget to post off an envelope on time or don't usually buy books then avoid them like a plague.  I joined one that said I didn't need to buy anything ever, just recieve the magazines, but if you forget to send the form back, or simply don't open the envelope (as I usually don't with mail that looks like junk), you'll get saddled with a load of books you don't want.

Even if you haven't ticked the box and get some foul piece of tat through your door (They actually rely on enough people doing this to pay their wages), simply write to them say the books were unsolicited and that you don't want them and they should collect them.  They may (don't quote me) send you a post paid sticker to send them back.  

Like fire, bookclubs aren't evil per se, but be careful.  If you want a simple life, never join a book club.

All together my disciples:

"NEVER JOIN A BOOK CLUB!"

My work is done.

PVS

[Wake]

Some books clubs allow you to say that you don't want the editor's choice on their website.

Wake

[Tu-plang]

I would probably give them a little bit of a go, but it says for UK and Ireland Only, and the Australian ones are smegged.  Nice books, probably, but I'd more likely buy graphic novels.

[nemesis]

Thanks there-- im not sure that "never join a bookclub" is such an appropriate epitaph, but ill live and learn first. Ill run back here crying if they rip me off, those graphic novels are just too tempting--Nemesis (has been warned)

[Thread Zero]

You can always buy the graphic novels at a comics shop instead Nemesis.

I don't know if they are cheaper but that way you just buy what you want.

None of this you must buy 100 books in the next three months stuff!

scojo

[paulvonscott]

Fair enough :)  I was pretty tempted myself.  let me know how it has gone in a year.  All the best

PVS