Name that book: Some guy wrote a book about something and then basically made himself a cause to promote the book

June 29, 2009 2:56 PM

Name that book: Some guy wrote a book about something and then basically made himself a cause to promote the book, including possibly having people take photos with the book. Any thoughts?

Yes that is all I know. I was having a conversation with someone and that was pretty much all they told me. Basically the guy virally marketed the book by selling himself and creating a community around the book that specifically had something to do with photos of people with the book.

Any thoughts?

posted by IzzeYum to media & arts (7 comments total)

Join Me ?
posted by rus at 3:04 PM on June 29

Sounds like John Green's Paper Towns.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 3:21 PM on June 29

I was trying to find further links - but I'm empty handed. I think it could be Paper Towns because John Green and his brother have a blog project (nerdfighters/brotherhood2.0) with lots of "audience participation." But this was created before the novel. I remember seeing some friends posting pictures of themselves with his book, but I can't find any post instructing them to do so.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 3:27 PM on June 29

I might be Join Me. Although the paper town thing with the photos is interesting.

You guys are good. Figured I would get one possible option...now there are two. You guys may have found me a bonus one, cause they both sound good.
posted by IzzeYum at 3:33 PM on June 29

Wallace's other book, Yes Man, is brilliant too.
posted by reenum at 4:39 PM on June 29

Sounds to me like All my life for sale.

The guy sold all his stuff on ebay, and requested that buyers follow up with a photo and updates about his former stuff. When he was all out of stuff he went on a road trip to visit his former stuff, and eventually published a book about the project.

Could that be it?
posted by nadise at 11:31 PM on June 29

Are you Dave Gorman?? I'm not sure if this matches your premise. Man (Dave Gorman) travels to visit all the other Dave Gormans he can find.
posted by olaguera at 2:17 AM on June 30