Sunday 3 July 2011

Judging a Book by It's Cover - no. 4


Ok, ok - welcome to another of the popular irregular feature: Judging a Book by it's Cover!

It appears that this book is fairly straightforward. It is a handbook, guide and companion for those who wish the elevation from cool to awesome. But which of the people featured on the cover is Awesome?

Now, you might immediately go for the blond man. And why wouldn't you? The photograph is composed in a manner that he is the focal point. He is holding the conversation and the others in the picture seem to be enjoying his tales. But that's just what they want you to think, and that is just exactly why you are wrong! He is practicing - he is you! And you are buying this book because you are NOT awesome. Sure, he is cool... but awesome has not been attained by this man.

In actual fact the person who is awesome is the one in the foreground. I mean, look at the jumper. Who would wear that? Someone who is awesome, that's who. He also has awesome hair: Wholesome and approachable for the mothers but tinged with a little grunge danger styling for the daughters. And he listens to that new band: Hootie and the Blowfish. He watched the first 4 episodes of Friends and does a hilarious impression of Ross [he accentuates the word "be" in rhetorical sentences about situations]. He can play the incidental music from Due South on a guitar. He knows a few soccer ball tricks but doesn't take part in the school sports' teams. He admits to being a bit of a computer nerd but thinks that home computing may just be taking off so shrugs off the taunts from the skate-boarding crowd. In any case, they know he likes a half-pipe as much as anyone.

Yip - he is totally awesome.

And what is the point of being awesome - what is in it for you? Loads of friendship bracelets.

I assuming this book was published in 1994.