This is such a great read! I wanna ask, why did the Marc Jacobs IG post evoke more emotion for you than Dua Lipa when they were both posing with books. The SERVICE95 review was so long and Marc's is only a couple lines (at least the ones I've seen).
Maybe less is more?
I would have just considered them both in the same league.
Mostly bc it seems like Marc is reading for fun! He just started devouring books one day and posing with them, no dedicated IG account, no author interviews, no sponsors. Also it’s just funny to see his silly pose with a Truman Capote in hand :)
really, really enjoyed this piece in its entirety and hearing all of your thoughts. all of it is so fascinating, especially as someone who is in it / adjacent to it all. so glad seen library found itself in your corner of the internet <3 appreciate the kind words you had to say about it.
also LOVED the subway hands collaboration - so genius.
I just heard about this online book club community called https://www.sotextual.com/ — sounds a bit similar to what Jordan's doing. they send you a beautifully wrapped monthly book package and have a membership community for discussion... I'm intrigued!
ohhh that's a cool idea - I love the reading guides! Reminds me of how much more thoughtfully I read in high school/college classes. Honestly, an English college class environment is maybe what many adults stay seeking (Dead Poets Society!). I wonder how this will scale
Wow did I eat up the ITG Top Shelf edits in their heyday!
Community x brand is so interesting for publishers because the old guard still has a longgggg way to go in terms of embracing the new wave of literary consumer. Most of the community around books is reader-led (which is fab!!), but my marketing brain is screaming "missed opportunity".
this is great!! love zoom sessions, discord and the live chats with the authors. bums me out that celebrities could organize such cool community things bc they have so much access to authors/publishing/other celebrities but they don't care to (which is fine! but also why start something then?)
This is such a great read! I wanna ask, why did the Marc Jacobs IG post evoke more emotion for you than Dua Lipa when they were both posing with books. The SERVICE95 review was so long and Marc's is only a couple lines (at least the ones I've seen).
Maybe less is more?
I would have just considered them both in the same league.
Mostly bc it seems like Marc is reading for fun! He just started devouring books one day and posing with them, no dedicated IG account, no author interviews, no sponsors. Also it’s just funny to see his silly pose with a Truman Capote in hand :)
“I tired thinking of something intimate people haven’t shared yet — we’ve done closest, bathroom cabinets, bags, search history…maybe fridges? glove compartments? There isn’t much we haven’t seen.”
Maybe junk drawers?! Everyone has one, right?! (Dead batteries, matches, and extra buttons make up the bulk of my junk, atm.)
In all seriousness, great read. I was recently trying to articulate why celebrity book clubs feel off, and you nailed it.
unfortunately these junk drawer photos are imprinted in my mind haha https://www.instagram.com/p/Crge_JzJL55/?igsh=MXdnaTRuOTVvYnlpMg==
really, really enjoyed this piece in its entirety and hearing all of your thoughts. all of it is so fascinating, especially as someone who is in it / adjacent to it all. so glad seen library found itself in your corner of the internet <3 appreciate the kind words you had to say about it.
also LOVED the subway hands collaboration - so genius.
Jordan, I didn't see this comment until now! Appreciate you and what you are doing with seen library <3
I just heard about this online book club community called https://www.sotextual.com/ — sounds a bit similar to what Jordan's doing. they send you a beautifully wrapped monthly book package and have a membership community for discussion... I'm intrigued!
ohhh that's a cool idea - I love the reading guides! Reminds me of how much more thoughtfully I read in high school/college classes. Honestly, an English college class environment is maybe what many adults stay seeking (Dead Poets Society!). I wonder how this will scale
I can’t think of celebrity book clubs without thinking of this great and bizarre story about Brittany spears and a mysterious book!
https://gimletmedia.com/amp/shows/mystery-show/emhe24
will have to listen to this like it's homework
loved this!
thank you!
This article is absolutely phenomenal. Love it!
thank you!!
Wow did I eat up the ITG Top Shelf edits in their heyday!
Community x brand is so interesting for publishers because the old guard still has a longgggg way to go in terms of embracing the new wave of literary consumer. Most of the community around books is reader-led (which is fab!!), but my marketing brain is screaming "missed opportunity".
I agree!! Are there any publishers you know who are experimenting with anything fun? I could only find the sunwayhands post sponsored by a publisher
I can’t think of any off the top of my head which is so sad!
Check out what Kathryn Budig is doing via The Inky Phoenix: https://www.kathrynbudig.com/the-inky-phoenix
this is great!! love zoom sessions, discord and the live chats with the authors. bums me out that celebrities could organize such cool community things bc they have so much access to authors/publishing/other celebrities but they don't care to (which is fine! but also why start something then?)