Posthuman Blues

I've been noticing a new trend in "literary" book publishing lately: the covers of a large number of new books feature close-up photos of cheap plastic toys, dolls, action figures or marzipan figurines. Doubt it? Take a look around the new releases at Barnes & Noble. It's bizarre. Apparently the "close up figurine photograph" meme has infected the graphic design departments of a great many publishers. I personally suspect that, while we're collectively oblivious to this trend today, it will become obvious in retrospect. Twenty years from now, the few scattered people who still buy and read books will pick up hardbacks minted in 2003 and chuckle to themselves.

What's the agenda behind this meme? I'm not exactly sure. And I'm frustrated that I wasn't able to catch it when it first appeared; pinpointing its first emergence into the consumer ecology is going to be a daunting task now that the shelves are stacked with trendy clones.

Fortunately, you can help fund this research initiative by sending me money. Or, barring that, keeping your eyes open and letting me know the titles and publication dates of the books in question. Believe me, you'll know the ones I'm talking about.