I have to credit my wife for finding this little gem.
Okay, first off, I don’t even use Netflix, I use Blockbuster Online, which is the superior service, something perhaps I’ll write about someday soon. Regardless, both services allow you to pay a monthly fee to basically rent movies for as long as you want and as often as you want.
Wouldn’t you know it? Someone thought it would be a good idea to do the same thing, but with BOOKS.
It’s called BookSwim.com. The image above (once you click it and make it all huge and pretty) basically models how it works, which is exactly how Netflix/Blockbuster function:
- You have a queue, which they call a POOL
- You put books you want to read into your pool
- They ship them to you when available
- You read them as fast or slow as you want.
- Send them back, postage paid both ways
- Get more books
As you can see, it’s exactly like Netflix. Although they have a wider range of plans for the crazy person who loves to read a book a day. I know someone like that. This blog post is almost totally meant for her, but I know others will still want to try Book Swim.
Plans – per month (some of these you can pay annually if you want):
- 2 books at a time – $14.99
- 3 books at a time – $19.99
- 5 books at a time – $23.99
- 7 books at a time – $27.99
- 9 books at a time – $31.99
- 11 books at a time – $35.99
Obviously I haven’t tested much of it out, since I’m not sure I can read fast enough for it. Lately, it’s taken me a month to finish a book. But if you do read a book a week, I have to say, $23.99 for five books out at a time is a lot cheaper than buying all five of them.
It also depends on whether you are a book collector or not. I mostly don’t need to keep books once I’m done, and would rather loan them out to friends anyways.
The only downside I found with the website is the search tool. I put in “The Road” and it finally got to it on the third search page. Cormac McCarthy also didn’t come up in an author search for some reason, but obviously they have The Road and other novels he’s written.
They claim a library of 150,000 books and growing.
So check it out if you want, maybe give it a test ride and let us know what you think!
I’m signing up!!! This is so exciting. I’ll let you know how it works out. Thanks for the tip!
Sooooo Mike, I go to this big place called a “library” it’s really neat, you can usually borrow books for free even! I like it cause they have a wide range of plans too, you can even renew your books at no extra charge! I think it’s gonna be the new fad for sure!
cheers! tumblin hayseed
Terrible idea for someone like me. I am a fairly fast reader and can usually get through a book or two a week. However, I really enjoy “owning” the book in the sense that I like to mark it up and right notes in them, etc. That way I can go back and use them for references.
Shawn
I haven’t read the Harry Potter books yet…
Shawn
You are correct – I would. I’d probably jot down little philosophical notes to the side to reference later for illustrations, etc.
Shawn
One of the big problems Netflix and Blockbuster both are having becoming profitable with their business models is the shipping and handling of the product to the customer. If these big guys are having problems shipping lightweight DVDs how much more of a problem is this little company going to have shipping really heavy books? I just don’t see how they can make any money in the long run…unless of course, people sign up and take six months to read a single book.
And speaking of Blockbuster’s online movie rental service… BLOCKBUSTER Total Access – Not So Total Anymore
I liked Jason’s link…. youre response back to total access Maria could be, “Well thank God for competition and hello Netflix…”
I could have said that Cap’n…I should have… But I’ve seen the other side…how do I go back now? How do I go back to my 3 movies at a time with no in-store trade ins and one free movie rental per month coupon that I never get to redeem because I don’t have time to watch that many movies? How? I don’t know if I can do it.
You didn’t get the same notice? Wow. I guess I was just assuming that the rates were going up for everyone. Well, now I’m really not happy. LOL I can’t believe I didn’t consider that I was being singled out for my abusive use of their DVDs. I actually had the nerve to use the service to my full advantage. What was I thinking?
It was an email. As far as I know we haven’t gotten anything in the mail. But I don’t think they ever send anything in the mail except the movies. You might want to keep an eye on your bank account if you have have it set up for automatic deductions.
Mine sounds the same (well, sounded the same) except I only get one bonus movie or game rental e-coupon a month. I’m also not sure about the in-store game exchange as I only ever get movies.
This is an interesting idea…if only Shawn and I didn’t love to collect books, mark them up, re-read them, etc. We have run out of bookshelves in our house! I think instead of having a new home built, we’ll just use the books and stack them up as walls and build us a weird bookreader hovel. lol
And to show what a complete and total nerd I am…I have written in the margins and made notes in several Stephen King books (back in the day when I started to realize that even his “regular” horror novels were all connected to the Dark Tower world) and in my Dracula and Anne Rice books (being a vamp-lit connoiseur), but did not make any notes in the Harry Potter books.
Speaking of which – what do you think about Rowling’s revelation that Dumbledor is gay? There have been some hilarious and thoughtful discussions/posts online about the issue.
Also – I would be curious to hear why you think Blockbuster is better than Netflix. And seeing the amount of comments here about it, it looks like you definitely need to write that post.
I love books too. I love to own them. Of course, I love to read them even more which is why I go to the library… A good library has more books than I could ever read so I’m not sure I could make good use of Book Swim. Then again, a good library has lots of DVDs too.
I wrote about Dumbledore on my site. JK Rowling Outs Gay “Harry Potter” Character, Author’s Subversive Plot Becomes Clear I don’t think everyone agrees with my assessments, but that’s okay.
I actually thought Netflix had much quicker delivery time as far as the mailed movies go. But how can they compete with Blockbuster’s ability to let you trade in the movie you received in the mail for one in the store. That is the reason Blockbuster is better (in my opinion). Of course, with higher prices and limited in-store trade ins I’m not sure it’s going to be quite as good.
Yeah, but can you go to the library by sitting on your butt in your living room???
Didn’t think so HAYSEED!
You would take notes and mark up The Deathly Hallows?
I still bet you’d mark them up…
I commented over there saying I get why Blockbuster has to do that, but I still think despite all that, the in-store rentals and the free coupons are so worth it.
I mean, my Blockbuster is less than 2 miles away…its’ so easy to run and get a free movie anytime really.
I guess if I watched a TON of movies a month, I could see it being an issue.
Still Jason, it’s interesting that you got that and I didn’t…they must really pay attention to those accounts taking advantage of it.
Well, I wont say for 100% if I did or not…because I could have missed it. Was it an email or something? How long ago?
I know that we’ve been with them for a very LONG time, so we were kind of grandfathered in on some of the deals we had from the start.
Here is what my plan looks like, like I said, I think we got grandfathered in on a few things:
BLOCKBUSTER Total Access Premium
Your Plan:
$17.99 / month (plus taxes)
3 at-a-time, unlimited mailings
unlimited in-store free movie/discounted game exchanges
+2 FREE bonus Movie or Game Rental E-Coupon / Month
I didn’t even realize I got the game exchange as a discounted rate…