Books are Fashion Statements…

…just like pets, religions and children.

The NYO reports that Books Are the New Black.

Yes, this season it’s all about faking it—i.e., carrying around the “It” book but not actually bothering to read it. Improving-your-image-by-deluding-others-into-thinking-you’re-reading-something-meaningful is the new black. It’s the literary equivalent of the Live 8 concerts, where you don’t have to actually do anything (e.g., read the book or give to the poor)—you just have to appear to care.

First of all, Duh!!! It’s like the whole world is just stumbling onto the fact that anyone would carry around a piece of literature to make them look intelligent. Or fake reading it. Or read it just to say they read it.