Digging in the [online] bargain book bin

Ya'll ought to know by now, I love some cheap shit. Excuse me, let me rephrase that: inexpensive shit. I love a deal; video games on sale, CD's on sale their first day of release, Deep Discount DVD ... the list goes on.

Bargain books are great, and bargain book websites are even better. The double edged sword of digging in the bargain book bins of bookstores is, for the most part, they're disorganized to such a degree that you really have to put in some serious time digging through the crap to really get something good. Fortunately, the websites are easy to search through, offering you convenience at the click of an icon. But, during your search for that Elmore Leonard hardback book that just went paperback, or that David Lee Roth autobio, you can really come across some shit that makes you want to scratch your head and wonder how the hell some of that shit got printed. And further more, you wonder why you have the urge to flip through titles such as this.

Here's a sample of some stuff I found while digging around in the Hamilton Books website:

Man, Beast And Zombie: What Science Can and Cannot Tell Us About Human Nature. By Kenan Malik.
"Offers an extraordinarily wide-ranging discussion of the state of the current understanding of the human condition, weaving together history, philosophy and science to present a provocative challenge both to the science of human nature and to the culture that has given rise to it. 470 pages." ($7.95)
Nate sez: Yep, there's a lot that zombies can tell us about human nature. Like why I hunger to feast on the flesh of the living.

White Guys: Studies in Postmodern Domination and Difference. By Fred Pfeil.
"Explores such pop culture icons as Bruce Springsteen and the late Kurt Cobain to probe the complexities of white heterosexual masculinity in current American culture. Photos. 269 pages." ($3.95)
Nate sez: Because when I think "complexities of white heterosexual masculinity," I think Kurt Cobain.

Houdini, Tarzan, And The Perfect Man: The White Male Body and the Challenge of Modernity in America. By John F. Kasson.
"Analyzes the themes linking Prussian-born bodybuilder Eugen Sandow, Harry Houdini, and Tarzan, and places them in their rich historical and cultural context. Suggests that concern with the white male body suffused American culture in the years before WWI, and continues with us today. Illustrated. 256 pages." ($4.95)
Nate sez: The fact that anyone can find anything linking these three, much less expound on that for 256 pages, makes me sleepier than I was when I started this entry.

Bare: The Naked Truth About Stripping. By Elisabeth Eaves.
"Follows the author and her fellow dancers through Seattle strip clubs and bachelor parties, exploring in riveting detail Eaves' own motivations and behavior, as well as her coworkers. 327 pages." ($10.95)
Nate sez: You know, I'm almost tempted to drop about $11 to find out exactly how many different ways a person can write, "And that was the time I took off my clothes for money."

Sex In The South: Unbuckling the Bible Belt. By Suzi Parker.
"Take a private journey to an eccentric side of sin where Southerners secretly (and not so secretly) defy sexual convention. In a region where towns often have more churches than liquor stores, you'll encounter a host of unforgettable characters." ($9.95)
Nate sez: Please mention Newport, TN ... please mention Newport, TN ... please mention Newport, TN ... wait a tick ... please don't mention me ... please don't mention me ...

MTV's Singled Out Guide To Dating. By L. Harris & J.D. Heiman.
"For guys and girls, an irreverent look at the rules for playing the dating game. Illustrated in color." ($1.95)
Nate sez: Hm, oddly enough, something makes me think that the price wasn't reduced. Anyone here remember "Singled Out?" Oh sure ... that show that introduced the world to Jenny "I'm the cancer on the ass of entertainment" McCarthy.

Professional Wrestling Collectibles. By K. Pope & R. Whebbe, Jr.
"Features hundreds of wrestling-related memorabilia, including figures, autographs, posters, programs, magazines, videos, and more. Well illustrated, most in color. 160 pages" ($5.95)
Nate sez: You know, no book on this subject is complete without mentioning the original Crusher's headlock training equipment, which was a mannequin with a tension coil in the middle, for the Crusher to strengthen his maneuver.

Men In Love: Male Homosexualities from Ganymede to Batman. By Vittorio Lingiardi.
"Posits that the psychological type of 'the homosexual' doesn't exist, going beyond the old polarities of biology or psychoanalysis. Pursues centuries of myths, poems, and symbols. 238 pages. " ($11.95)
Nate sez: What, no "Ambiguously Gay Duo??!"

The Encyclopedia Of Unusual Sex Practices. By Brenda Love.
"A collection of essays and historical surveys on subjects ranging from adultery and birth control to sexual harassment and transvestitism, plus descriptions of computer sex, erotic balls, love potions, and hundreds of other topics. Illustrated. 336 pages." ($7.95)
Nate sez: Where exactly is the line between "adultery" and "erotic balls?"

The Art Of Shaving. By M. Zaoui & E. Malka.
"Shows you the correct techniques for a closer and more comfortable shave. Photos. 112 pages." ($5.95)
Nate sez: If you need a book, 112 pages in length, telling you how to shave, you need to be sterilized, because breeding is neither in your or my best interests. I mean, what's this book about? "Chapter 4: The Downward Motion?" "Chapter 6: Toilet Paper - A Friend Indeed?" "Chapter 9: What To Do If You've Shaved Side-to-Side?"

Pornstar. By Ian Gittler.
"This book is a violent, funny, tragic, and uncompromising look at the "underground" world of pornography. Examines the men and women who populate the terrain of America's porn industry. Well illustrated. 176 pages." ($7.95)
Nate sez: I like the use of the modifier, "well," here. "WELL illustrated;" just so you know, if you look hard enough, you can see her kidneys. That's Hamilton Books, folks ... reading for the sexually repressed.

Honestly, not to shill their site or anything, but it's a pretty cool company. Most of the books I've gotten from them have been really good ... "High Score: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games;" "Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think;" "The Samurai Sourcebook;" and, "Clive Barker's A-Z Of Horror," among a few others. Again, finding the best stuff just takes a little digging.