Web bookseller's flight of fancy

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1 Web bookseller's flight of fancy Publication: Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Date: May 19, 2006 Author: Lewis Lazare The Chicago Sun-Times Section: Financial Edition: Final Page: 61 Word Count: 860 Column: Media Mix Memo: Word has reached us from far-away Victoria, British Columbia, of an upcoming anniversary and a modest, but quite amusing, marketing campaign intended to draw attention to the big event. Abebooks.com, the Victoria-based online seller of new, used, rare and out-of-print books from some 13,500 booksellers, will celebrate its 10th anniversary next month, according to Richard Davies, the online operation's chief spokesman. To mark the birthday, the company printed a number of postcards and bookmarks promoting books that obviously don't exist, but still provoke a smile, if only because they'd probably be really fun reads if they did. The tag line on the cards and bookmarks campaign is "If yo- - -can't find it here, it doesn't exist." The non-existent books Abebooks.com has chosen to spotlight include Chicken or Beef? The World's Best Loved Airline Recipes and Making Marriage Work by one Henry VIII. Another one likely to be of interest is All Yo- - -Wanted to Know About North Korea, but Were Afraid to Ask by the country's leader, Kim Jong II. But the biggest fictional release being spotlighted in the Abebooks.com campaign is one with the truly compelling title Whoops I Was Wrong by our very own sitting President, G.W. Bush.

2 Given the man's well-publicized inability to admit mistakes, this probably would make for a major bestseller. The online bookseller took the Bush spoof one step further and noted "now a major motion picture" in smaller type on the front of the book jacket. THE MAIL BAG I read your article about the "Simply Magnificent" international ad campaign for Illinois (Media Mix, May 9) with a lot of head nodding in agreement. I am from the United Kingdom originally, but have lived in the United States for 16 years and Chicago for 11. When I go back to the UK, I always scan the newspaper travel sections to gauge how Chicago is favored as a North American destination. Chicago does not receive top billing for sure. I believe that our tourism promoters suffer from what we always say we don't have, which is "second city-ism." They are afraid to boast too hard, to actually believe we are as fun a destination as San Francisco or Boston. I absolutely believe there is a better way to promote Chicago overseas by emphasizing different aspects. Let's not underestimate architecture and skyscrapers. Europeans think skyscraper skylines are very cool. Bring on the Olympics! Ian Watson I love the new Aflac "Mailbox" commercial, which yo- - -gave a C- (Media Mix, May 12). I laugh out loud every time I see it. I don't know what this says about me. I'm not a commercial fan; I usually mute them out. But every time this one comes on, I up the volume. I have a master's degree in literature. I don't know. Maybe I'm losing my mind. Sharon Johnson While I appreciate the information yo- - -provide in your column, I wonder why yo- - -deemed it necessary to include the phrase "wax orgasmic" in a story about bread advertising (Media Mix, May 18). Obviously yo- - -were trying to put a clever twist on an old cliche. Your attempt at creative writing is appreciated, but I find this

3 particular effort to be part of a disturbing trend among writers in the popular media to use sexual terms as descriptors in stories that have nothing to do with sexuality. I am not a prude, but I find this type of writing inappropriate for a newspaper. Ellen Middlebrook Herron This is in response to Ralph Anderson's criticism of the Ravinia Festival's "shushing" policy (Media Mix, April 28). He will be happy to know that we do sit in the Pavilion now -- ever since one of the "refined" concertgoers threatened to punch us in the nose when we politely asked him to tone down his conversation during one of the most beautiful Chicago Symphony Orchestra passages. We not only respect the performers, but try to be considerate of our fellow concertgoers who are tired of other people intruding upon their space. If Mr. Anderson wants background music for his talk, he can go somewhere else. By the way, through the years we have found Grant Park Music Festival attendees more attentive than Ravinia folks. Joan and Charles Staples AD NOTES - - The LaSalle Bank mural building, adjacent to the Kennedy Expy. in Bucktown, will be under reconstruction this summer. The LaSalle murals, changed several times every year and seen by an estimated 350,000 drivers daily, will re-emerge in September. Each mural typically covers 8,600 square feet on three sides of the warehouse building. - - Ex-United Airlines public relations executive Stephan Roth is the new director of guest experience for West Hollywood, Calif.-based Atlantis Events Inc. He will have a major say in designing and creating the guest experience on the company's cruises, resort and tour programs. - - The Red Hot Chili Peppers will don custom-designed Simpson race suits when they perform Saturday at the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. It marks the first time the band has performed at a sports event and the first time

4 NASCAR has scheduled a performance during a race. The group will play between the first and second racing segments. - - Zapwater Communications/Chicago has added several new clients, including Tivi accessories, the Rednofive nightclub and the Concierge Car Service. Photo: These bookmarks are part of a 10-year anniversary promotion from Abebooks.com. Copyright (c) 2006 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. PRICING This archive has a variety of pricing options for purchasing articles. To allow for flexibility, we offer a day pass and a week pass along with single article purchasing. You will be asked for your credit card information as part of the set up process. When you are ready to purchase, you can choose from the following options: Single article: $2.95 Each single-article purchase is reflected as a single purchase on your credit card. Day Plan: $5.95 for 5 articles Week Plan: $9.95 for 15 articles Month Plan: $14.95 for 30 articles

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