Why do I have this book?
Asked by
Jeruba (
55829
)
January 23rd, 2010
The book is On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You Are Not, by Robert A. Burton, M.D., published in 2008 by St. Martin’s Press.
It arrived yesterday in a padded envelope with the return address “Salon Media Group.” There was no enclosure, no packing slip, note, order acknowledgment, nothing. Nothing.
The book looks interesting. In fact, it looks just like the sort of thing I do buy and read. And I will probably read it.
But—
— I have no memory of ordering it. In fact,
— as far as I know, I never heard of it before I opened the package.
— I checked my Amazon order records, and I did not order it there.
— I pretty much don’t order books elsewhere.
— If I really did order this and then forgot it, it will be the first time I’ve done anything so utterly absent-minded; there is no reason to think I’m that far gone yet.
— I haven’t done anything lately—signed up for anything, donated to anything—that was offering a book as an incentive premium.
— I used to have a Salon.com membership, but it lapsed.
— No one in my family ordered the book or had ever heard of it.
— All Christmas presents incoming and outgoing have been accounted for.
— The Universe has never before chosen the U.S. mail as a medium for delivering its messages to me.
I am stumped.
So why do you think I received this book?
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29 Answers
Because God wanted you to read it. It’s a sign. :)
You better read it.
Honestly, I have no idea. Very strange. Mix-up at the post office I guess. Maybe it was meant for someone with a similar name to yours and they simply put the wrong sticker on it.
I’m worrying about that a little bit, @DominicX. It is very clearly and accurately addressed to me, without even any of the usual misspellings. Do you think I was meant to read it? Could there be a message there?
[Edit] I have a nonduplicated name. Both first and last are unusual, and my first name alone puts me in the first page of hits on Google. This is not a mixup.
Interesting question, with a tad of a smile to it. :) I am certain you suspect someone in your family or a friend.
Actually, @oratio, I am wondering about you guys!
Maybe you ordered it, and you forgot. You think you’re right, and you’re not. How ironic.
@Jeruba- It’s so weird that you mention this book. I actually have it in paperback and started reading it last year. Since then I’ve forgotten all about it until your question. I’m going to have to dig it out and reacquaint myself with it. That is, if I can find it.
@AstroChuck Did you get the book mysteriously in the mail?
This is beginning to sound like a Stephen King story.
@filmfann- No. I think I picked it up online. No secret admirers for me, I’m afraid.
Perhaps it needs editing.
@AstroChuck Oh, pisha! You have loads of undelivered mail admirers.
Oh, I guess because you have a lot of knowledge, and like most tend to stick to what you know. But you seem admit to being wrong when you are and have quite a bit of humor.
Or, you have FBI surveillance from across the street. If you look out the window, you will see a well dressed man, defensively crossing his arms with a disgruntled look to his face. Just tell him with your eyes that you don’t care for such a behavior.
I’m not entirely convinced someone sent this to you, nor do I believe you ordered it. It’s weird, though. I’m enjoying the thought of the Universe sending it your way.
(your last bullet point made me laugh)
Maybe the book was sent to the wrong address. But it does sound like the sender was trying to anonymously send the book to influence someone in their life. It’s very stalker-ish.
God gave it to you. Don’t ignore it or He’ll smite you with lightning bolts and fireballs.
Maybe Salon is trying to win you back as a subscriber with a little creative bribery.
You mentioned that it had “Salon Media Group” onthe envelope so I think that’s where your search for why should begin.
Of course it’s also possible that you’ve slipped into the Twilight Zone.
:D
I would totally think someone had ordered it for me as a hint. I would immediately become paranoid, and worry about it obsessively. I don’t suggest this course of action, though. ;)
@Buttonstc, that’s my only clue. I searched both their website and online generally to see if this title links up with any kind of promotion or premium, and I can’t find anything. I also searched all my recent e-mail messages for a mention of the title or author just to see if I’d received a confirmation of a purchase or shipment. Nope.
@augustlan, so far I am just worrying about it casually. But the subject matter does suggest some darker intent, if not divine guidance.
Well, jeruba is officially in the Twighlight Zone. Cue music…
Doo do doo do
Doo do doo do
Call up Salon Media group and ask for a review of this shipment order!
So @Jeruba, was it addressed to you? My curiosity is aroused, I confess. If you follow @Bagardbilla‘s advice and find anything out, will you let uw know?
@Trillian, yes.
Good idea, @Bagardbilla. I might try that. But then, finding out the facts would put an end to the theorizing, wouldn’t it? And that’s the entertaining part.
@Jeruba
Yes… such are the limitations of knowledge…;)
let’s let mystery stand. ‘I like how you roll’.
Did you ever figure this mystery out?
Nope, no clue ever came from the universe, from the interstitial fabric of being, or from the depths of the Beyond. I think the answer will be found only when we know why a raven is like a writing-desk.
Someone who knows you (and therefore knows the correct spelling of your name) thought you’d enjoy it.
Though now I am curious, what is your name?
@Jeruba Because they both produce notes:-) A very intriguing story and a very intriguing title. This reminds me of The Queer Story of Brownlow’s Newspaper by H G Wells.
I think it must be because of your Salon membership. Your details must be on their database.
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