Powell’s Books Indiespensable box is a subscription club delivering new books with special attention paid to independent publishers. It arrives every six to eight weeks and includes books and other surprises.
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Here I Am - Value for the hardcover book (not including the case) on Amazon $14.99 (retail price $28)
Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer is a beefy novel about a Jewish couple in the throes of divorce while also living in a dystopian world where an earthquake has flattened Israel. The story is funny, sad, and difficult to put down.
The packaging here is fantastic, and this is a specific Indiespensable edition, signed by the author. I’m really looking forward to finishing the story!
Universal Harvester - Value $11.99 on Amazon (retail price $25)
Included as this month’s surprise item is an advance reader’s copy of Universal Harvester by John Darnielle, neatly packaged in an old VHS box.
Darnielle is most well known for his time in The Mountain Goats, with whom he sings, plays guitar, and writes lyrics. He’s released 15 albums with the band and now has 3 novels under his belt. I have personally been looking forward to this book and was really excited to see this advance copy 4 months before it’s officially released!
The book focuses on terror and suspense but in a very... relaxed way. Set in the late 90s, when VHS was still a thing, movies are being returned to a video rental shop with questionable footage spliced in during random scenes. The main protagonist is the young clerk who has to deal with the complaints and ends up trying to solve the mystery himself. It’s a great read, and fast, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Included in the box is a small book with an interview of Jonathan Safran Foer and some more details about the items included.
Verdict: Although the Amazon book values total $26.98, I think Powell’s Books Indiespensable is worth the $40 asking price, especially for this edition. The signed and limited edition hardcover is very cool and becomes an instant collector’s item, and the addition of the advance reader’s copy of a highly anticipated novel is icing on the cake.
What do you think of volume 61 from Powell’s Books Indiespensable?
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