Sisterhood of the traveling book

Have you read or seen the book/movie Sisterhood of the traveling pants?

It’s a cute story of four girls/women who find the elusive perfect pair of jeans in a thrift store and even though they are quite different builds the jeans fit each of them in the most flattering way. So they decide to share the pants. When they all go their separate ways, they send the pants (and a journal I think, which is essentially the book) to each other at agreed upon time intervals.

Well here’s my idea. We are already a sisterhood. Let’s have a traveling book!

I did buy the book with this catchy title . I’m no talent when it comes to book reviews but here is my general sense: It’s a very fast read, only 72 pages, doubles spaced (no, I’m not kidding!) The writing is not of an award winning caliber. We can read IF stories that are well written, right here on the Internet, for free! So, I guess I would not recommend this book in terms of value or in terms of literary achievement. But it does cut to the chase of life as an infertile. I like that she’s angry and that she feels free to say so. (I am not as free with expressing my own anger). I identified with much of what she said, though not all. But it was a quick and cathartic read.

So my plan would be this: We could pass the book around. I know there is an issue of anonymity no one is more paranoid than me, but many of you have already exchanged personal identities through your holiday card exchange, IF meet-ups etc. With the traveling book we would only have to expose ourselves to the person we are sending it to. That’s only one “outing”. Even I can handle that! I thought we could all sign inside the book with real or screen name, part of the world we live in and the date book was received and short comment (optional). We’d read it, review it on our blog to whatever extent we like and pass it on to the next blogger. It is up to each recipient to recruit and choose the next recipient. It would also be fun to pay it forward or backward with a small gift to the person who sent it to you or the person who will get it next or both. A little handmade trinket, or whatever.

We can also add a sort of “where in the world” element where I can post the book’s whereabouts as it makes it’s rounds. As each person receives the book they can e-mail me it’s whereabouts.

So does anyone like this idea enough for me to set it in motion? If so I will set up “rules” and get this book in the mail to lucky recipient #1!

This could be secret blog pal meets international lending library**.

I think including bloggers on all continents is feasible because this book is skinny and light enough to be mailed anywhere fairly cheaply.

So who’s game??

My one reservation is this: is it unfair to (potentially) decrease the author’s sales by sending this book around to possibly every woman in the blogosphere who might have bought it? Is this any different than the public library lending it out? (Which, by the way, will not be carrying this book any time soon!)

Thoughts?