You Get What You Give

This is a remarkable book. Just take a look at the RRP.

And how's this for a promotional offer?

Take that Asda. Price war my arse.

Intrigued? Then I suggest you check out the Concord Free Press website and admire their frankly fucking wonderful business model. 1,500 copies of Give + Take by Stona Fitch were printed, each with a unique number (mine is #85). All of them were given away for free. There is no catch really, all they ask is that you make some sort of donation, no matter how small, to a worthy cause of your choosing and then pass on the book so that someone else can read it and do the same.

Simple. Clever. Effective. And really rather beautiful.

To date the book has generated over $35,000 in donations. That is $23.33 (recurring) for every copy printed. I prostrate myself before such philanthropic genius. But what about the book itself? With such a conscience-pricking build up it is probably a bit of an anti-climax.

Well it isn't. It is actually very good indeed.

Ross Clifton is a successful jazz pianist touring America's posh clubs and hotels. He accepts the occasional offer of a drink from single women in the audience. He sometimes goes back to their hotel rooms. He may, if the mood takes him, seduce them with his musician's fingers. Oh, and he steals their diamonds. You know the sort of thing.

It has become a routine for Ross, although he will sometimes mix it up a bit by stealing a BMW every now and again. There's a lot of money to be made with this sort of high-class thievery. And he gives it all away. Every last cent.

Disillusioned with the material world after years of conspicuous consumption he now robs from the rich to give to the poor. A bebop Robin Hood in a plot which compliments the publishing model of the book beautifully. Of course, if everything went smoothly with Clifton's masterplan we'd be in for a rather short and predictable novel. So say hello to Cray, his teenage nephew, who turns up out of the blue to stay for a few weeks. Not content with just cramping his uncle's style and restricting his nocturnal activities Cray shambles along until he has turned his entire life upside down and helped to steer the story to a thrilling climax.

Give + Take is a brilliant concept and an equally brilliant novel. I loved it. Fitch writes about music and its performance with what I can only assume is an insider's knowledge. If he doesn't play piano himself I'll eat my hat. He also has an appealing off-kilter turn of phrase. Take this hospital scene.

Suddenly, I am alone with my father. Chief sits in the lounge chair, with his tubes coming from everywhere, surrounded by a bank of electronics that reminds me inappropriately of Rick Wakeman.

All 1,500 copies of Give + Take are now in circulation, there are no more available from Concord Free Press, so I can only wish you luck in finding one of them. I have made a donation to Thames Hospicecare to uphold my end of the bargain. I have also given their shop a pile of books to sell. Their Windsor hospice looked after a friend - the woman with the allotment next to ours - in her final days. She was a great lover of books and I think she would have approved.

But what about my copy? Well, I have it here waiting to pass it on to one of you. If you want it then leave a comment beneath this post and I will ask one of my kids to select someone at random at the weekend. The rest of you will have to be patient but the good news is that a normal, traditional (i.e. one you will have to pay for) edition of Give + Take will be published by Two Ravens Press next spring.

Comments

[Loveina]

Pick me! Pick me! Send a copy to Sweden!!! We need that sort of stuff over here. Please?

[Judie La Flamme]

Brilliant concept! In searching for the book on US Amazon, I was led to another Finch, Charles, by name & discovered his two Charles Lenox mysteries which sound yum. Bless you & the ever mind-expanding internet for again widening my horizons. (No, I wasn't able to find this Finch's book, so I hope to be considered for it)

[David]

Exciting business model and really inspirational. I would love to be considered for a copy, I have a plethora of good causes I could give to, and I'd love to be part of the chain.

David

[Sarie]

What a great idea! Please add my name to the draw. If picked I shall donate to our local hospice in Canterbury.

[Robbie]

This is brilliant. I'd love to be picked. It would go some small way to making me feel better about getting marmelised by both E & M in the last tennis league.

[Paul]

STONEYBRIDGE !!!!

[Andrew Blackman]

What a great idea! Please enter me for the draw. If picked, I will donate $23.33 recurring to Medical Aid for Palestinians, and will give the book away on my own blog when I've finished reading it.

[Joanie]

Does living in America count?
And it's my birthday (really!).
My favorite charity is St. Jude Childrens Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, which treats kids with cancer.

[Pamela Hecker]

I just stumbled upon your site; quite funny domain name, and an affliction for which we share! I would love to read this book, donate to the "Make a Wish Foundation" and then pass the book forward. Please put my name in the drawing:D You can also email me at pshecker @ gmail.com

[Lee]

My copy is having an interesting journey - to Cape Town where the book itself will be a donation to a youth project where it will be passed from hand to hand - a different form of giving, perhaps, but I reckon entirely in keeping with the Concord Free Press's intentions:

http://lowebrow.blogspot.com/search?q=stona

[David]

Great idea - love your blog - I will donate $20 to Breast Cancer Research. Victoria, BC, Canada

[Pierre L]

Yes, i would like to enter the draw as well, please. I'll let you choose the charity (as long as I can give to it on-line).

[Eric]

Well, I guess it is now too late but in Belgium to we would be very happy to read this book! This is a very creative business model indeed but I wonder if it could work more than once.

By the way, I would donate to the Ellen MacArthur trust (they take young people aged between 8-18 sailing to help them regain their confidence, on their way to recovery from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness).