The other day I went into the offices of Simon & Schuster to shoot some video about Leviathan, and they cleverly had me doing double duty on this pre-Xmas video. It is slavishly devoted to the notion that Books Make Good Gifts (aka Publishing Is Recession Proof, Right? RIGHT?), but still pretty cool.
The amazing thing is the company I’m keeping. Just try to imagine the after-shoot party with me, Bill O’Reilly, Maya Angelou, and Dan Brown all hanging out. The mind boggles.
Click for the actual video.
By the way, my 50s college professor shirt is by D.L. Cerny, my new fave place for dapper. Because shirts make great gifts!
December 19th, 2008 11:55
kool # 1
December 19th, 2008 12:00
A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!!!=D
December 19th, 2008 12:05
luv ur reason why books make great gifts!!!!=D
December 19th, 2008 12:06
koolz, ur quite the actor Scott
December 19th, 2008 12:07
Kate-la: yeah, u(Scott-la) should b in a movie w/ those awesome acting skills!!!!
December 19th, 2008 12:12
cool beans
December 19th, 2008 12:13
Happy Holidays peeps (i said peeps, hee hee)
December 19th, 2008 12:17
ashley-wa: I think he could play Zane in the Uglies movie!!! jk lolz
December 19th, 2008 12:21
i wood TOTALLY play Shay-la. she is SO fawesome!
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
December 19th, 2008 12:22
Shay is pretty tite
December 19th, 2008 12:23
hehe. i just realized he said “dapper”. hehe. dapper. *slaps knee*
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
December 19th, 2008 12:28
Daaaaaang… You know you’ve made it big as an author when…
Good job scott, and you should have figured out by now that nothing can prevent people from reading! Not censorship, book banning, blindness, or now recession! I must also add that the effect the recession has on publishing is better than the effect it has had on fashion (Actual Headline: “The Best Way To Dress without breaking the bank in the new recession? Wear no clothes at all!”)
December 19th, 2008 12:29
Kate-la: totally, he would make a great Zane(he doesn’t even need 2 b made pretty on the computer cause he already is)hehehe!!! SHAY?……she is okay, but 2 jealous of Tally all the time!!!=D bye
December 19th, 2008 12:31
Must…buy…books!
Hehe. Good job Scott-la! Although I must say my favorite was Julie Andrews: books are everyone’s favorite things.
December 19th, 2008 13:02
I love books. And yes, they do make great gifts. But I’m so picky about books that I rarely ask for them as gifts, unless the next book in a series I’ve read for years comes out right before Chistmas or my birthday.
Click my name. Read my blog. Vote in the poll. Leave a comment.
December 19th, 2008 13:10
Hah, nice.
(I only watched part of the video, but I love the line about how books make a great escape from reality. True, but still. Can you smell the Depression fear?)
Love is Hell is the only book on my Christmas list, I just plan to split any gifts of cash I get (which I’m sure to, because relatives do not understand that weird child) between books and CDs.
December 19th, 2008 13:23
i want to be Dr. Cable (jk)
December 19th, 2008 13:39
I loved this. Ha, and my family even asked for books . . . some not so great, but totally fun (okay that makes them great!).
December 19th, 2008 13:52
Since when was Julie Andrews an author?
“Books make great gifts!” I love how everyone says it pretty much the exact same way, like they’re *trying* to get the phrase stuck in your head.
Which, you know, they would totally never do.
December 19th, 2008 13:55
sweetness
December 19th, 2008 14:04
That so cool! The only problem I have with giving people books is that I don’t know what they would want without asking and that just ruins the surprise. (Which is why I buy them gift certificates for the local bookstore here.)
December 19th, 2008 15:06
oh! i forgot about that one! thanx Serafina-la.
*adds Love is Hell to xmas list*
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
December 19th, 2008 15:09
I wonder how many of the lines were scripted? (Cue me wincing at Rachael Ray.) I do think Frank McCourt’s reason is my favourite. I love him. I want him to be my Irish grandpa and tell me stories about his depressing poverty-stricken childhood in Ireland.
I will also say I asked for Uglies for Christmas.
December 19th, 2008 16:17
Cool! I’ve actually met Maya Angelou and talked to her at my boarding school camp thingy over the summer in New York! She was pretty cool!
December 19th, 2008 17:09
Scott-la should definitely be an actor! It could be a part time job
Dapper. *snickers*
December 19th, 2008 18:52
“like giving someone an adventure” exactly!!!!!!
Nice cameo Scott-la
&I love Julie Andrews, she’s one of my fav actors!
December 19th, 2008 23:53
OMG!!!!!!*screams & jumps up&down quietly* SNOW DAY!!!! finally, but 2day my chrismas break starts……..i screamed quietly cause my mom,dad,brother&sister r still sleeping@7:52am(what losers) Jay-wa: did u get a snowday because there was like 200 schools that got snowdays 2day???=D
December 20th, 2008 00:50
its still snowin!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 00:52
I have 50 things on my Christmas list and over half are different books…includeing Bogus to Bubbly!
December 20th, 2008 00:54
Your amazing.
December 20th, 2008 01:05
I luv elmo. Oh, and by the way Maya or whoever said that one thing about books being your friends, i don’t usually tell secrets to my books. lol
December 20th, 2008 01:12
i luvs elmo, too!scott-la, totally luv your books! great actin’ skills too. :p
December 20th, 2008 01:41
i m friends w/ my books(the characters)!!!!!
December 20th, 2008 02:12
Aw, I don’t get a snow day cuz it doesn’t snow here…Oh wells. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!
December 20th, 2008 03:03
I believe its “Books make GREAT gifts.” hahahahaha. (SNOW DAY!!)
December 20th, 2008 03:11
i luv snow days(like 2day)=D 2day would b my last day of school, but now its the 1st day of winter break!!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 03:29
i just went outside& had a snowball fight w/ my sister, now i m inside eating chocolate chip cookies& hot chocolate w/ marahmallows(not sure how 2 spell that)mmmmmm!!!! Ehmagawd!!!! i just remembered 2morrow is my grandma’s christmas party!!!!! i m excited because i m getting HTDYF, Love is Hell, Peeps, and Extras(haven’t read it yet) *excitment* i m sooooo excited 2 read extras, i have been waiting since thanksgiving when i finished specials!!!!!(i couldn’t buy it cause i m broke……i have about $6 right now& extras is like $16!!!!!
December 20th, 2008 04:09
Awesome, two posts that were like BAM BAM. Awesome
SNOW DAY!!! I almost started crying because we had a snow day..so..happy..*sniff*
I want to watch that video! It seems pretty Hilarious. WOO WINTER BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Scott-la is in Australia, right?)
Ashley-wa: The snow keeps falling, and you can’t even see more than a mile! A lot less than a mile! It’s insane!! Yay!!!!!
Yay! Books! Books! I love books! I asked for Bogus to Bubbly, So Yesterday, The Last Days and How to Ditch Your Fairy! It’s going to be so phat.
Happy Friday! (more than likely. Or Happy Whatever-Day-It-Is!!)
December 20th, 2008 04:14
“books make great gifts because after you make love, you can reach for one, its always there.”
HAHAHAHAH!
after taking a final i’m pretty sure i failed,
this sure did brighten up my day.
December 20th, 2008 04:42
we had an early dismissal
the hs went from 7:45 to 10:45
just three hours of school
it’s so ridiculous we even went at all
now it’s snowing like mad!!!
lovely nor’easter.<
&I’ve asked for books for Christmas
but my relatives always get me clothes
I hope I at least get some money so I can then buy myself books
December 20th, 2008 04:49
i love snow days…….&books!!!! actually i was just reading 4 like an hour.
December 20th, 2008 04:51
Scott Westerfeld sounds so awesome when he talks!
Liset: I’m sorry you’re pretty sure you failed your exam! But that was hilarious!
December 20th, 2008 05:06
he does sound pretty awesome……like Kate-la & i said, he should b an actor!!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 05:13
Totally. Everyone would go see his movie!!
December 20th, 2008 05:21
i know i would!!!! hehehe
December 20th, 2008 05:25
There would be grandma-soap eating involved!!
December 20th, 2008 05:34
that would b funny……luving the snow right now, SNOW DAYS ROCK!!!!
December 20th, 2008 06:13
hi everybody!!! i m kinda bored=(
December 20th, 2008 07:05
I can’t wait for Leviathan to come out!
December 20th, 2008 07:08
Im having a snow day 2
December 20th, 2008 07:45
Ok. So, I finally (and sadly) just finnished reading all Scott’s books. My last one, happened to be peeps, so I’m still in the parasite-zone. So, to sum up, I love Scott westerfeld. His books are simply amazing! I sooo wish they all become movies so that EVERYONE will see them. Anyways, Books ARE great gifts. And now I have that phrase stuck in my head.
December 20th, 2008 08:27
Oh my gosh, Elmo!! XD Good job, Scott-la, books do make great gifts. I want some books for Christmas
!!!
December 20th, 2008 09:39
I LOVE ELMO!!!! I even have a shirt of him!!!
December 20th, 2008 10:19
Gah, I have such a huge crush on Jon Stewart~
Er, anyways… That was really cute! I’m actually giving away several books for Christmas and getting some! I know what books they are but not allowed to touch them until Christmas… *sad sigh*
December 20th, 2008 10:24
i made the most delicious chocolate chunk cookies 2day!!!! i luv warm cookies, they r sooo yummy!!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 11:02
COOL!
December 20th, 2008 11:03
yummy!:P
December 20th, 2008 11:07
Some of those were so funny. I liked Christopher Paolini’s reason- ‘Because you can travel to places far away, and it costs less than a tank of gas’.
I was actually surprised that I’d read most of the people on that video. I guess I’m well read and never knew it.
December 20th, 2008 11:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX8r9gCuOfA&eurl=http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/levitating-hover-scooter&feature=player_embedded
This is kinda related to hover boards. So I thought I would send it to you.
December 20th, 2008 11:16
scott westerfeld writes the best books ever!
December 20th, 2008 11:29
Totally, Jenny-la!!!!!!!!(!!!!!!!)
Alba-wa: Is it sad because you haven’t read all his books? And Peeps is amazing. It totally one-ups other vampire books. Biting is so…1980′s!
That video was like subliminal messages. Buy books…mehhh zombies…mehh.
Austin: Went to your site, and was like ‘RAW??!!!’ ’cause I thought you were eating raw meat..but okay raw fruits and stuff. It looks good though…*reads the rest of the posts*
Yay! Snow! I wish I had a hover board, that’d be awesome to hover board in the snow…SNOW!!!
December 20th, 2008 11:43
do Westerfeld’s vampires sparkle?
if they don’t I’ll try ‘em.
if they do, forget it!
December 20th, 2008 11:45
Jay-wa: i wish i had a hoverboard2…….*sigh* that would b so awesome!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 11:46
Austin: That is one intense dummy.
(for those of you that are like ‘huh?’ http://www.smart-teenager.com is what I’m talking about. That kid’s (^^) site)
December 20th, 2008 11:48
No Sparkles for Peeps (Westerfeld’s vampires!)!!
Hoverboards would be so…I’ve gone word-missing. That’s how great. I want to invent a hoverboard, and I’d make them ultra-cheap so everyone could have one.
Bad thing about Hoverboards/cars: School wouldn’t be canceled because of snow. You’d just fly over it. (I’d get over it so fast!)
December 20th, 2008 11:59
Peace. I’m going to make cookies! Have a happy beginning/rest of the day!
December 20th, 2008 12:17
that would b a bummer if there couldn’t b snowdays, but u could get up 4 school l8er than u usually do cause it would take like 2 minutes 2 get 2 school!!! u know what they should invent……heated jackets, we need those up here!!!=D
December 20th, 2008 12:58
Getting books for holidays and birthdays is awesome. The majority of my lists usually contains more books than anything else.
December 20th, 2008 13:00
Cool video, although I have to say, what was with Elmo? And after the first minute of it, I was rolling my eyes everytime someone said “books make great gifts because…” or one of those awefully scripted things that just advertise themselves (check out Jim Cramer and Rachael Ray *wince*).
They do make fawesome gifts, though. I got them for my four close friends. And I know some people don’t like to because they think it’s hard to figure out what a person likes, but it’s not really that bad. I knew one of my friends had wanted to start a certain series I had said was awesome, another one of mine had all of her fave authors books except one, another refused to finish this awesome series (so now she has to XD), and…well actually, the fourth friend I got a prettyful blank drawing book lol. Ironically, three out of the four gifts were Scott’s books.
You guys got snow days? Lucky! It wasn’t snowing in the morning so we had school, but by third period it was practically a blizzard. And after a lot of begging I got to go to one of my friend’s houses afterwards for a while, and my friend, her little sister, another friend, her little sister, another friend, and moi all had an epic snowball fight. One of the little sisters actually took a gigantic clump of snow and just mushed it on my head–but I got her back good :0).
December 20th, 2008 13:41
Oh, and scott, yours was one of the least lame answers, but it was still deliciously corny in a way. My favorite, though, was “they never go out of style. Unlike that thing you’re wearing…” I looked down at my soccer sweatshirt and pajama pants when she said that.
And I was about to make a joke about Christopher Paolini, but then I remembered which books he wrote…
December 20th, 2008 14:06
“Books make great gifts becasue you dont have to plug them in” he he he.
Tis very cleaver.
x
December 20th, 2008 14:18
SIX DAYS TIL XMAS!!! (and i still dont have a SINGLE present to give anybody… im known for procrastinating…)
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
December 20th, 2008 15:57
Was I the only one that was a lil freaked out by elmo??? Can you say SCARY?! Lmao…
December 20th, 2008 16:51
Yay! Christmas is almost here! I didn’t get to see the video cause it wont work on my computer… but I will see it in a second hopefully… I am just soo happy it’s christmas break finnally…
December 20th, 2008 17:28
i guess books make great gifts…
December 20th, 2008 17:39
Funnily enough, I got a lot of people books for Christmas before I saw this video.
December 20th, 2008 23:41
Books make awesome gifts! Anytime and anywhere. Most of the stuff I request for are books anyway. Bogus to bubbly = *squeeel!*
Distract the minds from realities? Well, we now know who is in denial.
December 21st, 2008 00:46
2day is my grandma’s christmas party!!! yyyaaayyyy!!! the only thing is in some ways my grandma’s christmas party always relates 2 a Pretty party in the way that its no fun until everybody’s drunk…….which is fine w/ me because i think its fun 2 mess w/ drunk people!! besides, drunk people r the only ones who will listen 2 me talk about books(besides u people)!!=D
December 21st, 2008 01:59
its Satuday!!! happy saturday!!! do u know what that means?? probably not, so i’ll tell u: this means a whole day of having no life& going on the computer all day!!! except 2day is that party(which after presents i won’t b @ in my mind, cause i will b exploring w/ Aya& whoever else is in that book) yay!!!
December 21st, 2008 02:00
lol so adorable. i nvr realised how old marry higgins clark is. her books are amazing tho…….and i hope the same goes for birhtday presents heeheee..
the vid. was adorable!
December 21st, 2008 02:07
awww. i love the variety between all the reasons!
and i loved ur reason tooo!
December 21st, 2008 02:11
this is my you-tube account(click on my name=D)
December 21st, 2008 02:41
UGH!!!! i m very bored right about now!!!!
December 21st, 2008 03:55
On the subject of youtube accounts, I’ll post a link to mine! It’s in my name if it doesn’t work in the comment peoples.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Kalliegirl08
December 21st, 2008 03:55
Cool, it did work!
December 21st, 2008 04:00
i posted u a comment Tally&Zane!!! i luv posting comments!!=D
December 21st, 2008 04:04
when i m bored i put random pictures 2gether &put it on you-tube(like i did 2day)
December 21st, 2008 04:10
Ha, cool!
December 21st, 2008 04:13
Hum, well I have to go, I’m gonna watch my friend’s soccer game! See ya.
December 21st, 2008 04:30
okay, well bye!!!
December 21st, 2008 04:31
hmmmmm, where is everybody 2day? nobody ever comes on on the weekends! i guess i could find something 2 do 2, laytah!!!=D
December 21st, 2008 05:38
MY B-DAY IS IN THREE DAYS AND I’M SO HAPPIFUL!
sigh. and i’m on winter break! life is good!
but my older sis got ALL OF LAST WEEK OF cuz of the power-outages in MA, and her school got hit hard. my school didn’t get hit at all…grrrr…but i lost power from thurs night to like tuesday afternoon…misery cubed. we stayed w/out grandparents, tho, and that was fun!
i <3 the song ‘chicken fried’ by zac brown–so funny!
i made muffins!
December 21st, 2008 06:06
mmmm! i like muffins……i didn’t have school 2morrow cause of snow!!!=D
December 21st, 2008 06:44
Books sure do make great gifts! I love books!
December 21st, 2008 07:39
me too! i love books! i don’t think i’m getting any for x-mas this year tho.
i got my camera which is my only present… but that’s okay with me, cuz i LOVE it!
December 21st, 2008 11:10
You guys are such Bubbleheads, but are totally like bogus AND fashion-missing! Need to get a social life!!!
December 21st, 2008 11:42
HAPPY ALMOST BDAY UMR-WA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how old is you turning?
hehe. why are they bubbleheads?
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
December 21st, 2008 13:21
Yeah…why are we bubbleheads? AND fashion-missing?
December 21st, 2008 16:36
*yawn* yeah my name goes to my youtube channel I think… I am very sleepy and bored but I don’t wanna go to bed…
December 22nd, 2008 01:28
i want 2 know why we r bubbleheads & fashion missing also?? maybe i need a social lfe, but i’ll get 1 l8er!=D
December 22nd, 2008 02:26
ÐšÐ¾Ð½ÐºÑƒÑ€Ñ Ð´Ð»Ñ Ð±Ð»Ð¾Ð³Ð³ÐµÑ€Ð¾Ð² от DRUGREVENUE Ñ Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð·Ð¾Ð²Ñ‹Ð¼ фондом в 3000 долларов, Ñпешите
December 22nd, 2008 03:58
hi people!! how r u 2day?? i m pretty bored.i m inbetween =( &=D
December 22nd, 2008 06:04
yesterday @my grandma’s party i got Extras, Peeps, and a shirt that said Team David(which i wore the whole time)!!! i was soooo happy!! i also got a gold neclace w/a heart locket on the end (which reminded me of the one Tally had @the Smoke)and a few Target gift cards!!! it was awesome!!!=D
December 22nd, 2008 10:14
UGH!!! if u could die of boredom i would probably die 2day!!=(
December 22nd, 2008 10:58
im so jealous Ashley-wa, i wish i had a team david shirt!!!
December 22nd, 2008 11:25
Needed more elmo.
Nice shirt, though.
December 22nd, 2008 12:44
yeah, i m wearing it now!!hehehe!=D
elmo creeps me out!!(ever since i was a littlie, idk y)
December 22nd, 2008 21:13
Christopher Paolini is such a nerd. x3
I loved your reason, though. <3
So true.
December 26th, 2008 08:46
That’s funny my sister gave me Bogus to Bubbly for Christmas and I gave her Candy by Kevin Brooks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
December 26th, 2008 18:07
Books do make great gifts! I finally got some this year.
People are always afraid I already have it.
January 2nd, 2009 13:31
All I got from my close family this year was books. well, books and a gift certificate to a local book store. even better for me
January 4th, 2009 13:21
Haha.
Scott…you’re great. :]
March 30th, 2009 01:12
Три пути ведут к знанию: путь Ñ€Ð°Ð·Ð¼Ñ‹ÑˆÐ»ÐµÐ½Ð¸Ñ – Ñто путь Ñамый благородный, путь Ð¿Ð¾Ð´Ñ€Ð°Ð¶Ð°Ð½Ð¸Ñ – Ñто путь Ñамый легкий и путь опыта – Ñто путь Ñамый горький.
August 11th, 2010 07:26
The company abides by the enterprise quality prnciple of “to stress quality for existance, seek development by good credit†. It persists in the idea of “take the talents as its advantage, high technology is in the leadâ€.