Ordered from the back pages

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Has anyone ever ordered a book by using the order form that you sometimes find in the back pages of a novel? Does it take long to arrive? I have one in an unread Patricia Highsmith and a Margaret Atwood, has the practice waned in the face of internet shopping? I seem to remember them being more frequent, but all I see now is By The Same Author and Other Titles You Might Like sections.

― Kevan (Kevan), Friday, 14 January 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

They usually say to allow 28 days. If I had to wait 28 days for something now I would probably start grizzling after five days and be like Tom Hanks at the end of 'Cast Away' by the time it came.

There are still a lot of BOOK CLUB advertisements about, so it can't be all internet.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 15 January 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

I have booked a holiday from the back pages of the LRB, though. Does that count?

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Sunday, 16 January 2005 23:48 (twenty years ago)

I like idly scanning those back pages in old used books. I like seeing who belonged to the same publisher's stable together -- people who became well known, people who nobody ever heard from again. You wonder whether they knew/envied/helped/backstabbed/were indifferent to each other.

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Monday, 17 January 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Kodansha International's 'Japan's Modern Writers' series has very good back pages, but no ordering facility.

― Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

I always wonder what would happen if I tried to use the order form from an old book. 'What, you mean I *can't* get The Third Man for 2 shillings? Grr!'

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

I remember being gutted when my Mam explained that the charges in the back of Armada books were the postage charges, and you still had to pay for the book.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Thursday, 20 January 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

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