Friday, June 27, 2008

Under my skin?

Lin Hô in Louisiana asks: "Can I judge a book by its cover?"

In times past you could always tell exactly what was inside a book simply by looking at the cover, but this is no longer the case. To gain an edge in the very competitive book market many publishers are resorting to sneaky tactics and purposely assigning titillating titles, hoping to increase sales from unsuspecting buyers. Because of this it's best to open a book and thoroughly check the contents before purchasing it. This way you'll avoid the frustration of buying a book titled The Physics of Kama Sutra Positions, only to discover that night in bed that it's actually all about gauge theories in particle physics...and that there's nothing remotely erotic about the illustrations.
If you're asking this question figuratively and referring to judging others by their outward appearance then the same principle applies. It's always a good idea to do a full body search before bringing someone home to avoid unpleasant surprises.

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