Are you ready for school to start back up again? Ebates can help you stay within budget with Double Cash Back at loads of different bookstores and rental shops. Check it out!

I decided to suggest some personal favorites that I myself have enjoyed while earning my lovely Cash Back through Ebates. I am an avid reader, however, it is rare that I get so excited about a book that only took me  couple of days to digest. 

With the David Fincher adaptation of the international smash Girl With the Dragon Tattoo coming out in just a few weeks, I admit the anticipation is killing me. Some retailers are coming out with entire lines inspired by the protagonist, Lisbeth Salander. The goth-esque look is easy enough to achieve without an entire clothing line. Plus, you can get some Cash Back to help cover for your movie ticket.

When the temperatures drop one of my favorite things to do is curl up with a good book. Despite the rise of eBooks, I firmly believe there are few things fulfilling as a wonderful book. Even better? They make great gifts AND you can earn Cash Back through Ebates!

Whether you are relaxing by the pool, sitting on the porch, or enjoying the air conditioned indoors, you are going to want some new toys to keep yourself (and some Summer guests) entertained. Get Cash Back on all your summertime splurges that will keep you laughing, learning, and enjoying the warm weather.

Don't let the hot weather fry your brain. Keep it alive with these bestsellers.


When you need to laugh - My Horizontal Life By Chelsea Handler

Author of "Are Your There Vodka It's Me Chelsea" and host of the comedic late night show Chelsea Lately, Chelsea Handler has taken the most memorable and awkward parts of single life; the one night stand, and turned it into a series of short stories all with as much honestly and crass as your best friend. Leaving no detail unmentioned she visits her experiences with the kind of humor and intimacy found in David Sedaris and Sloane Crosley books. Find it at Alibris with 3.0% Cash Back.

 

When you need to cry - Eat Pray Love By Elizabeth Gilbert.
 
Divorced, depressed, and in the throes of the late twenties crisis (yes it really does exist) Elizabeth Gilbert embarks on a year journey of self discovery and spiritual awakening that takes her from Italy to India and eventually Bali. Those who share in the author's "there's gotta be more than this" mentality will find a great read. Side Note: Eat Pray Love is coming to a theater near you August 13th and will star everybody's sweetheart Julia Roberts (who's face will no doubt become the new book cover) as well as the uber sexy Javier Bardem. Find it at Barnes and Noble with 4.0% Cash Back.

When you need an escape -  Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

The third book in the popular series that spurned my Sunday night addiction True Blood, Club Dead starts with leading southern belle Sookie Stackhouse on the search for her beloved vampire Bill. Along the way she stumbles into a world tangled with werewolves and vampires; a world in which she not surprisingly injects herself to save her dead fiance. Bonus points include Sookie and Eric's growing friendship (yum) and witnessing Bon Temp's other characters become leading roles. Recommend for someone who is looking for mythical entertainment that's older and saucier than Harry Potter. Find it at Borders with 4.0% Cash Back.


When you feel like a teenager - Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn By Stephanie Meyers

Not to overwhelm with vampires but seeing as how the Twilight saga is churning out movies faster than people can read, you're time for reading the fourth and final book Breaking Dawn is limited. This final chapter sees Bella and Edward progressing with their relationship as only 18 year old's who have been dating 1.5 years can. Of course things can only be rosy for so long before the Volturi come a knocking and the final showdown sees an alliance between Team Edward and Team Jacob. Recommended for the young at heart. Find it at Half.com with 4.0% Cash Back.

Continue your Summer reading here.

Make no mistake San Francisco is not a balmy 85 degrees like the rest of the country. Here in Fog City there's nothing more than overcast skies and windy cool conditions.

Sometimes it's romantic and peaceful, and sometimes it's annoying.

For the times when I'm not enjoying the gusting wind, rain slicked streets, and frizz head, there are a few methods I use to prevent insanity. One is to simply get out of the city, and the other is to succumb. Much like the saying "if you can't beat them, join them" sometimes embracing what you can't control is the best method. One of my favorite ways to embrace the cold is with tea. Drinking a hot cup of green tea or any other herbal concoction keeps my tummy warm and my health in top shape. Considering I am currently battling the sniffles, I've gone to stocking up on must haves like Simply Green Tea from drugstore.com. Loaded with antioxidants this tea has 1/3 the amount of caffeine found in coffee and offers a yummy way to stay healthy. As part of Health and Beauty Week, drugstore.com is now at 8.0% Cash Back. For other immune boosting teas check out the full list here.

Naturally cooler temperatures means more time in doors, yet this also leads to more time for boredom. To keep myself entertained- and to prevent couch potato syndrome- I keep my head in the books. This past week I finally finally bit the bullet and bought African Interiors, but as for non-designed based reading I'm currently loving Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. This classic Jane Austen tale has been rewritten by comedic writer Ben Withers and is just $9 at Barnes and Noble. Set in a world of sea monsters and damsels in distress, this book is perfect for nights when the fog is so thick you'd think you were lost at sea. Aside from a good read you'll also enjoy 4.0% Cash Back and free shipping on orders over $25.

Other ways I ward off feelings of gloom is with warm throw blankets and cozy sweaters which you'll find here. It might not bring on the sun, but it will give me cash back in my pocket which always puts a smile on my face.

As mentioned in the past, I have a thing about Coffee Table Books. Despite my previous reserves, their use in decor is becoming more palatable and I've even begun to use them to create the famous "cluttered desk" look. With Ebates turning 11 and offering 11.0% Cash Back at stores like Barnes and Noble, I figured now is the perfect time to indulge in my new passion while racking up cash back for myself.

First in my shopping cart is The Selby Is In Your Place. What is the Selby? Why it's the much anticipated book from the famous design blog started by Todd Selby which features the quirky interiors of today's artists, poets, musicians, and other creative folk. Selling for $10 off the list price, I'll also save 10% off any single item when I use code W3L8N4U. Hurry though, this offer ends May 16th.








Next up is African Interiors. Truly a book dedicated to beautiful and lively photographs, this is just the thing those addicted to colorful interiors need. Featuring interiors ranging from village huts made of mud, to the modern city dwellings of Johannesburg, this book is a study on not just African culture, but of design methods. I'll save almost $10 off the list price and get free shipping on orders over $25.






Last but not least is Grey Gardens. The companion book to the 1975 documentary (later remade by HBO), this book tells the tale of Edith and Little Eddie Bouvier. Famous cousins of Jackie Kennedy Onassis who disappeared from public life only to be found living in squalor. If you haven't seen the HBO version, I implore you to do so. It's available at HBO Store where you'll get 4.0% Cash Back.

So there you have it. Three amazing books to pour over, nearly $12 cash back added to my account, and a savings of $34 off the list price. I know it's Ebates Birthday and all, but this is my birthday present. Which coincidentally is today!

As a blogger I tend to get most of my information online. This includes everything from breaking news to fashion trends. As a creature of the online world, it's easiest for me to seek out what I need to know on the internet. But come Summer, I am typically (hopefully) away from my computer much more frequently and this is when I tend to consume many more magazines, rather than visit the online site. Thus, with Summer right around the corner, I need to manage my subscriptions to my favorite magazines and stock up for lazy, sunny days.  I will shop at Magazines.com through Ebates and get a hefty 21.0% Cash Back, up to 90% off and an additional $5 off orders with code: springmags.

At Magazines.com, I will find all of my favorite fashion publications like Elle and Vogue, while also shopping for essential reads like Women's Health and Shape. Good news for me, right now, they are offering a subscription to Elle and Women's Health for 74% off and just $25 for both! Shop now for your favorite magazines specially priced and with double-digit cash back!

Also, magazines make a great gift for mom, so shop best-selling titles and give her a gift she will enjoy all year.

Stock up on summer reads and cash back in our Books and Magazines Category.

As a former literature student who rides the bus every day to work, I always have an eye out for what the people around me are reading. About six months ago, it was The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and after reading that, I could completely understand what all the fuss was about. Nowadays, the hot read seems to be the Millennium Trilogy from Swedish author, Stieg Larsson.

Chances are, if you either frequent bookstores or pay attention to readers around you in public, you have seen either of his two books, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or The Girl Who Played with Fire being read by someone around you in the past few months. See, The Girl Who Played with Fire just came out in paperback circulation, and the buzz is increasing more and more as we anxiously await Larsson's final book of the trilogy: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. My advice to you about these books is the following: if you haven't yet started the trilogy, by all means, wait until the third book is released! Trust me on this one folks, once you finish reading the first book, you will want to be able to immediately grab the second one, and up to this point, I have to assume that the same can definitely be said for the second book and it's segue into the third. Luckily for all of us, Barnes & Noble has got a few different deals right now to help ease the cost a little bit. First off, no matter what you buy, you can use coupon code R8J4C9K to take 15% off one item (some exceptions apply, of course). Also, for a limited time, Barnes & Noble is offering anyone who orders through their site the special discount member price on purchases. That means you no longer have to look at a lower price and debate whether it's worth paying an annual fee to get that discount - right now everyone does! Finally, you will get free shipping on orders over $25; it's kind of the industry standard, but it still feels great to take a look at your checkout screen and see "Shipping: FREE" in the expense line. Oh, and did I mention that you get an extra discount on the third book if you pre-order it by itself? Because you do, and that makes the savings even nicer.

As always, you will also get 4.0% Cash Back when you order through Ebates, meaning you now have five unique ways to save by ordering through Barnes & Noble right now!

Find a new page-turner to strike your fancy from our Books & Magazines category!

As much time as I've spent studying design, I'm still baffled by the use of coffee table books. Their existence seems to be much like that of a tattoo, purely for display and conversation, although both can be argued as having deeper meaning. Whatever the case, I've never been the type to purchase books for display purposes, and my general attitude toward them was as serious as Kramer's The Coffee Table Book Of Coffee Tables. Which if you've never seen, is just another reason why Seinfeld is genius. 

Recently my attitude toward coffee table books has been changing, and it's not because of the design aesthetic or because I want to show off my love of obscure subcultures. No, my indifference is waning because, quite frankly, there are a slew of jaw-dropping design books on the market, and I'm like a kid in a candy store. Where else can I place these beloved treasures once the bookcase, closet, and storage boxes are full? Why, a front row seat on my coffee table, of course.

Topping my list of so-glad-I-bought-it books is French Home. Available at Borders, this hardcover edition simplifies the mystique that is French decor thanks to the brains of antiques dealer and stylist Josephine Ryan. Priced at $29.95 for new, (or as low as $12 for used) I received 4.0% Cash Back and yet another book to accompany my Sunday morning coffee routine.







Another juicy, glossy photo book is Style and Substance: The Best Of Elle Decor. Covering the first two decades of Elle Decor, this book deserves proper ogling time, and if I may say so, looks great on my coffee table. Available at Barnes & Noble, I earned 8.0% Cash Back thanks to Travel Week, not to mention saving 28% off the list price and receiving free shipping. With hundreds of expertly designed rooms, I know I'll be reaching for this when I need a little inspiration, or even when I don't.   

So maybe I do understand the logic behind coffee table books. Maybe their owners aren't the showy type after all, maybe they're design/art/fashion/whatever addicts with storage issues, people who would rather have their passions on hand (or on table) instead of stashed away in a closet. Regardless of how I justify this new design approach, I saved a chunk of change and earned even more with Ebates.

Shop more design deals in our Home and Garden category.  
 
 
Top image courtesy of Desire To Inspire. 

At the risk of sounding like a hippie, I will admit this merchant combines two things that I think are wildly important for future generations: it saves books and saves the environment. See, what these fellas do at Better World Books is "rescue" books that are either donated or designated for destruction, and sell them at a fraction of what the titles might cost new. Not only are they offering books to consumers at a reasonable discount, they also donate both funds and books to four major causes backing global literacy. There is a running counter at the top of their site which shows, at the time I am writing this, that they have donated over seven and a half million dollars and thirty-two million books to help fight illiteracy across the globe.

I am always pleased when I know that a merchant of ours is out there trying to make a difference in the world, and that's one of the many reasons I try to keep this weekly feature running - so I can highlight merchants like this that don't have the name recognition of some of our bigger merchants, but provide similar services. Plus, Better World Books offers the whole range of books, from textbooks to novels to comics and even children's books.

So if you get a chance, read their story, if you're at all like me and love books and take a world of joy from reading, you will feel a little bit better about maybe spending a dollar or two more on a used book if you know that it is going to a good cause. You will also be able to take advantage of free shipping on all orders within the US, plus, let's not forget that you will be getting 3.0% Cash Back on all your purchases by shopping through Ebates, so a portion of what you spend is going to another worthy cause -- your wallet!

Find a good read from our Books & Magazines category.

Thursday night I had a little spare time when I got home from work, so I decided to spend the evening at a few local used music and book stores. As most of you who read this blog on any kind of regular basis probably already know, this can be a very dangerous thing for someone with a disposition like mine. See, I go to stores with a set list in mind, and I know exactly what I want. Then I look a bit more, and a little more. Next thing you know (as happened Thursday) a trek to get a handful of new books and music ends up being four CDs, five DVDs, and three books at a cost of something in the neighborhood of $125. This is what happens when I have a night with nothing going on - I'd have been better off staying home.

But really, I'd have been much better off had I just gone to Half.com. I wouldn't have driven around town, I wouldn't have had to walk to and from my car in the rain, and I probably would have gotten the same stuff for about two thirds of what I paid. It's no exaggeration: even at used prices, I found almost every item I bought on Half.com for less, plus in most cases, I wouldn't have paid California's ridiculously high sales tax, and I would have earned 4.0% Cash Back - talk about making your money work for you! With the cash back I could have earned, I would have been able to get another book! (which is exactly what I need)

So check it out for yourself - they have an amazing selection of books, DVDs, Music, Textbooks, and video game stuff (consoles, games, accessories, etc). I know it may not mean much to you, but what impressed me is that they have solid discounts on books by Charles Bukowski. That may seem like a random statement, but I just had a discussion in the lunchroom on Friday about how the bookstore I went to (one of SF's most renowned) didn't have anything I didn't already own, and that other website named after that rainforest didn't have good used prices on any of his titles. Lo and behold, I should have just gone to Half.com for great prices and 4.0% Cash Back.

Find what you want at Half.com or at eBay, it's parent company.

By now, I think most people have at least thought about changing the way that they eat. For most people, and I used to be one of them, the main obstacle in overhauling my food consumption was not really knowing where to begin and not understanding all of the conflicting information out there. I got turned on to Michael Pollan a few years back in a PBS special based on his simple food theories. While watching the program, something clicked. I logged on to my computer, bought his books (The "Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense Of Food" and from then on really felt that I had a more clear understanding about the foods I eat and the impact they have on my body and the environment. Pollan makes it really simple, especially in his latest book, "Food Rules: An Eaters Manual". This is essentially a handbook of what you should be eating (and what you shouldn't) and how. But don't be mistaken, its not your traditional "diet book". In it are sixty four easy and logical rules that can be essentially summed up with this "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants". It totally makes sense and that makes it easy to live by. Find more information here.

With the Superbowl coming up this weekend rule #39 comes in handy: "Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself". Bingo. You will have more control over the ingredients going into the food and will be able to savor the process more. There are a ton of recipes out there for delicious dips, finger foods and all the junk you love that can be made in your own kitchen.

Pick up "Food Rules: An Eaters Manual" for just $7.92 at Barnes and Noble and get 4.0% cash Back from Ebates.

If there are two facts about me that have been made abundantly clear in the time I have been writing for this blog, it is that I am an unabashed book nerd and that I am a proud San Francisco resident. So when these two interests dovetail, I just have to tell the world about it. Through the end of the day today, Chronicle Books, a San Francisco mainstay whose offices I walk by every evening as I leave work, is having a pretty amazing Friends & Family Sale.

While you can still use coupon code HOLIDAYHINTS to get 25% off and free shipping on all your orders, ending tonight at midnight, you can bump your savings up another 10%. With coupon code FRIENDS, you can take 35% off your entire purchase at Chronicle Books and get free shipping anywhere. It's a funny thought to someone like me, that I can order something from them online and get it for much cheaper than I can if I walked into their store and bought it. Ah, the glories of the internet!

So what did I buy? It shouldn't come as a surprise, knowing me; I got a new Moleskine planner. After spending a year trying to decipher my scrawl in the pocket planner (roughly 3x5 inches) I am upgrading to the 5x8 standard size planner because, quite frankly, I'm a busy man. What's really nice about this particular planner is that it has an entire page face each week for notes, lists, and all the other things scribblers like myself enjoy.

So this fine piece of planning power would normally run me $18.95 plus $4.50 shipping, in addition to nearly $2 more with CA State sales tax. Thanks to this coupon, I was able to get this out the door, tax and all, for $13.37, a savings of over $10. Now I have money to buy more books! That doesn't even factor in the 3.0% Cash Back that is heading on its way directly to my Ebates account.

Take advantage of this sale and more by checking our Coupons category!

I have never really been very creative about gift giving. I usually ask my family members "What do you want for Christmas?", or buy each of them something obvious that I know they will like. But with my budget tighter than ever this year, I need to get creative so I can give meaningful gifts that don't break the bank. Luckily, Barnes & Noble has doubled to 8.0% Cash Back as part of our December Double Cash Back and so the creative gifts I am looking for come with some extra savings. Plus, they have a Holiday Gift Guide which makes finding the perfect gift a little easier. My brother is a major foodie who will travel great distances for a good meal (he comes to visit me here in San Francisco often and is always dying to try the newest and greatest restaurants). Perfect for the foodie in your life is the Zagat America's Top Restaurants Guide 2010, 28% off and just $11.48. With a complete list of all the greatest restaurants across the country, it is a great reference for someone who loves a good meal or who travels a lot and it is under $12!


Perfect for the fashionista or just someone on the brink of a life change (who might need a style change along with it) is The Style Strategy by Nina Garcia (of Project Runway and Marie Claire magazine) is the perfect gift and just $11.87. The book is essentially a go-to-guide on how to maximize your wardrobe, buy smartly, and get the chic designer look for less. No matter how much or how little you know about fashion, this is the book to have. I will pick up a few copies for all the women in my life (and even one for myself).

Shop Barnes & Noble and find gifts for everyone on your list at great prices with double cash back!

As most of you are probably aware, one of the main facets of my job is just spending time on Ebates, searching for new sales and coupons to bring to your attention. Generally speaking, it isn't terribly interesting outside of the pure thrill of finding that great bargain and bringing it to all of you. But then again, some days, you get a little thrill from time to time when you are out searching. Today was one of those times.

So I was clicking around, just like any other day, and I happened across a coupon from a book merchant, Alibris. I've known the site - being a literature nerd, I tend to know most all book merchants rather well. But this coupon code jumped out at me, not just because of the interesting figure, but because of the code itself. From now through Halloween, if you enter coupon code "GANDALF" you can save $4 on any purchase $40 or more. I thought this was a wonderful idea and a great code, so I went to the Alibris coupons page. What did I discover? A whole slew of coupons, all connected to characters from Lord of the Rings, all for a different dollar amount. They were all there - FRODO, SAMWISE, GALADRIEL, even SAURON.

These are the small joys in life, when I find a fun merchant who comes up with a great set of coupons with thematic names. Of course it doesn't hurt that you also get 3.0% Cash Back. I am almost tempted to spend the next few minutes entering in other Lord of the Rings words just to see what happens. Maybe if I type in Gollum, I'll get a free ring...

What coupons will you find? Just look at the Ebates coupon page to find them all!

With the release of the Spike Jonze-directed feature length film this past Friday, all of the internet is abuzz over "Where the Wild Things Are". The movie, which brings to live a timeless childrens book, has fortunately brought a renewed interest to the book itself.

Being a fanatical reader, I'm one of those old-fashioned types who believes that the book is pretty much always better. That's why the kid in me is so up on the idea of Glamma Toys. Right now their featured products are all various shapes and sizes of plush characters from the movies, puppets of the characters, or packages including the stuffed characters along with a copy of the book itself. So, in other words, anyone who wants to can play director and make their own home production to see how they stack up against Jonze, who is somewhat of a cinematic hipster wunderkind. 

Want to save money on these great products? Then buy before Halloween and use the coupon code EBATES10 - it's our exclusive offer to get an extra 10% off your purchase. Plus, remember, when you shop through Ebates, you will also get 3.5% Cash Back at Glamma.

Find just what you're looking for in our Games & Toys category!

I'll come out and say it right off the bat: this site is not for me. Throughout all of college, from undergrad to my master's degree, I only ever sold back four books to my college book store. To this day, I still regret selling two of those back, wishing I'd kept the volumes I'd annotated. Still, I am a weirdo, and as a literature student, you tend to have mostly novels, which make much more sense to keep than, shall we say, Non-Euclidean Geometry.

So for those of you who spent three and four hundred dollars a pop on oversized textbooks, I give you Chegg. It's like a college bookstore, but unlike most campus book stores, they only rent you the book, instead of the "buy and sell back" model that students have been subjected to. Plus, you're also saving the environment, as Chegg plants a tree for every textbook they rent.

So, while this semester (or quarter) you may have been forced to buy you books full price, now you know that with Chegg, you can rent the books you have no intention of keeping, save money, and earn 5.0% Cash Back on that rental! That's what I call hitting the savings trifecta.

Find your favorite page-turners in our Books & Magazines category.

Here at the Ebates blog, we often wax poetic on the delights of the Fall season in terms of fashion, but the fruits of the seasons' change do not end there. Fall brings new releases in movies (goodbye Summer blockbusters), new seasons of television shows, and this year, more than ever, a flock of new, highly anticipated novels. The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown's newest novel, will be released on September 15, but you can pre-order your copy now at Barnes & Noble with 4.0% Cash Back and 40% off list price. Dubbed as the "publishing stimulus package" The Lost Symbol is sure to break records and be the Fall's must-read title.

Other big releases include Edward Kennedy's posthumously published memoir True Compass, available for pre-order (release date is 9/14) at Borders for 40% off with 4.0% Cash Back. But the Fall book frenzy does not end there, look forward to the official Twilight Saga Guide, written by Stephanie Meyer herself, John Krakauer's, Where Men Win Glory, Jeanette Walls' (The Glass Castle) newest, Half Broke Horses, and much more. Shop the complete list of Borders top 50 preorders here. And check out Barnes & Noble's top 100 list of bestsellers where you can  rediscover classics that have once again become part of pop culture, like Julia Child's cookbooks and Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series box set that inspired HBO's True Blood.

You can usually tell the overachievers on the first day of school: they have their textbooks, color-coded notebooks, and assortment of pens. While I cannot deny that I was that person in college, one thing I learned very quickly was to not buy a book until after the first day of class. You may drop the class, get wind of horror stories about a professor, or you may find a better deal online. Like at Barnes & Noble, where they have low prices on thousands of textbooks. Plus, You will get 8% Cash Back from Ebates and free in-store returns! You don't need to hassle with return shipping and waiting for a refund. Instead, you can return your unwanted merchandise to a store and quickly get your cash.

Just as important as studying hard is relaxing with some restorative leisure time. I spent many college weekends laying in bed watching DVDs of my favorite shows, which (for me) was time well spent. So while shopping for textbooks, be sure to shop for some DVD's at low prices. Pick up the highly acclaimed second season of Mad Men, now 50% off along with many more DVDs and get increased cash back from Ebates.


Shop all of our Back to School deals!

As someone who spent almost eight years pursuing higher education in Literature, one word synonymous with "Back to School" was "books." I remember my first semester as a master's student, walking up to the counter in the campus bookstore with two baskets filled to overflowing with novels. Some four hundred dollars later, I was informed by the clerk that I had bought more books in one fell swoop than he had ever seen before in his two year history of working there. Six months, and thirty-seven books later, I was back at it the next semester.

Now, had I been smart, I would have made my money work for me a little bit better, and picked up some of the more easily found titles at Barnes & Noble, who are currently offering 8% Cash Back on all purchases. Just think - in that one semester I would have gotten over $30 back! So let my mistake be your gain, and make the smart call that I didn't; buy your books through Ebates, earn cash back, and put that money towards even more glorious books!

Find all sorts of great deals in our Back to School sale!

Anyone who has been to college knows the hassle and cost of buying textbooks. I can clearly remember the days of standing in line for help, only to learn the one textbook I needed by nine a.m. the next morning was sold out. Had I known about textbooks.com my life as a college student would have gone a lot smoother, and would have cost me less too. Had I known about Ebates, I would have been getting paid to buy books. Talk about smartest kid in the class.

Just like the ol' college bookstore, textbooks.com allows you to buy and sell used and new textbooks. Unlike your previous experience, you'll get 5% Cash Back and a guarantee to earn 50% back on thousands of titles. For added savings, textbooks.com offers free shipping on orders over $25, and savings of up to 90% on used and new titles. From social science to psychology and mathematics, textbooks.com has you covered.

Get more Back to School savings with Ebates!

You know it, I know it, and most people across the country know it -- yesterday marked the long-long-long awaited release of the sixth installment of the Harry Potter film franchise with "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". Most folks predict that with this movie, the Potter franchise will out-earn James Bond in total box office revenue, and I know a few employees who came in a little bleary-eyed this morning from going to the midnight showing. One thing you have to love about the release of each new Harry Potter movie is a new wave of Harry Potter merchandise, from wands, robes, and broomsticks to all seven Harry Potter Books as well as tons of supplemental readings.

So where should you go for all your Potter-lovin' needs? Everybody should know by now, both Borders and Barnes & Noble have everything any bibliophile could ever ask for, and they have a ton of other assorted Potter-phenalia for you muggles out there. One merchant that impressed me was Sears: they have almost two hundred different Harry Potter products for sale, and there's also the Scholastic Store - remember, Scholastic is the company that publishes the Harry Potter books, so they have the rights to all sorts of cool Potter stuff. Wherever you choose to shop - make sure you head there through Ebates and earn some cash back on your purchases!

Anyone out there seen the movie yet? I haven't gone, but I'm really excited - comment your thoughts of it (without spoilers!).

Okay, so you've had some BBQ, you've enjoyed some fireworks, maybe you even hit the beach. Now you're sitting in front of your computer, lamenting the weekend coming to an end and looking for great deals. You all know my penchant for free shipping. You also know my penchant for books, and that's why I'm so excited that Barnes & Noble.com has managed to merge the two so perfectly.

What is this great deal I'm talking about? Simple: through the end of the day today, you only need to spend $10 to get free shipping at Barnes & Noble.com. Instead of the "industry standard" of $25 free shipping, you can buy just a book or two, and scramble to find a few more items to bring your total up. So whether you prefer DVDs, books, or music, you can get it all shipped free with a mere $10 purchase, plus earn 4% Cash Back on all purchases. These deals make Barnes & Noble.com coupons almost obsolete!!

Check out the Books & Magazines category at Ebates for more great deals on books and beyond!

I'm not prone to gushing, but from time to time I hear about a deal I just can't keep to myself, as was the case when our dashing and talented CEO Kevin tipped me off to the clearance sale at Barnes & Noble.com.

Why does the promise of discounted books send me into such a tizzy? I'm such an obsessive reader, so I need to take advantage of any chance I get to save some money on books. However, I also jumped because supplies on some of these books are limited, and when you're saving 50% or more on most titles, they don't stick around all that long.

Say that, unlike me, you're not a bibliophile, and you prefer to watch movies or listen to music. You're covered too! The Clearance Sale covers DVDs, music, toys & games, home accents, even video games! While supplies last, you can take advantage of great savings on all the clearance items at Barnes & Noble.com and rack up 4% Cash Back. But hurry, while Ebates will always offer cash back, supplies of clearance merchandise are limited!

You know what's great about Half.com? You've got all the same great selection and convenience that you'll find at eBay without all the hassle that comes with bidding. Instead of worrying about watching your bids for the next week (or feverishly trying to outbid someone at the last second), you can just poke around and buy whatever your heart desires in seconds! With such a great selection of items with 3% Cash Back at Ebates, you don't even need Half.com coupons to save on everything under the sun!

What's good at Half.com? Family favorites like Wii Fit, bestselling books like Twilight, and deals on everything else your heart could desire. And, Half.com's got great used, open box, and refurbished products that can all be had at a fraction of the cost. With cash back and a wide variety of products to choose from, Half.com is your best friend when you're looking for a great deal.

You don't need Half.com coupons to save! Start earning today with Ebates cash back!

There are bookstores, and then there are bookstores. Barnes & Noble is of the latter breed, and for millions of Americans, it is a one stop destination for books, music, magazines, and movies. As part of Ebates daily double, enjoy double Cash Back or 8% at Barnes & Noble.com.

My love affair with Barnes & Noble began in high school, and now as an adult, I can count on their vast selection to satisfy my every curiosity. From obscure fashion magazines, to my latest obsession TrueBlood on HBO, this site offers it all. Can't get enough of your favorite tv shows? Shop their dvd sale and receive a 50% discount on countless movies and televison shows. Going to school? For the student they offer great deals like saving up to 30% on new textbooks, or up to 90% on used. No matter what your literary taste, earn double cash back at Barnes & Noble.com today!

Shop our Books & Magazines category for even more ways to save!

Knowledge is power - especially when it comes to managing your hard-earned dollars. Sure, you can go to the library and check out gobs of information on how to live frugally for free. But some frugal reads are well worth owning. These are great resources that you can turn to again and again.

With Ebates you can pick up some terrific deals on some frugal reads. Here are a few of my favorites:

Books

These books are a great deal when you shop through Ebates! Earn 4% Cash Back from Barnes and Noble. And don't forget: Shipping is free when you spend more than $25.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. This is the ultimate guide to getting out of debt and staying out of debt.

10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget by The Writers of Wise Bread. It's no coincidence that Wise Bread is the #1 personal finance blog. Even the most experienced frugalites will learn a few new tricks from this book.

Live Your Life for Half the Price by Mary Hunt. Hunt does a great job at helping you save on the every day things that tend to get ignored. Loaded with great advice, you'll find yourself returning to this book whenever your spending starts to get out of hand. 

The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczn. Old school advice that is still relevant today. This is frugal living to the extreme.

Magazines

No time? Maybe you'd do better with a magazine. Magazines like Taste of Home, Consumer Reports and Kiplinger'sPersonal Finance offer articles that can help you save money. Order All You Magazine and it will pay for itself in coupons! Shop Magazines.com via Ebates and you'll earn $10 cash back when you spend $22 or more on these savvy reads. Use the code "SPRINGMAGS" and save $5 on select magazines.

Audio

No time to even flip through a magazine? With three boys under the age of four, I can totally relate! Check out all of the personal finance and frugal living audio podcasts available at iTunes. There are lots of free podcasts, including The Dave Ramsey Show. You can also purchase personal finance books for download. I love listening to these downloads when I'm in the car or exercising. When you shop through Ebates, you'll earn 3% Cash Back on your purchase.

Looking for more frugal resources? Check out my blog at Northern Cheapskate. I post all kinds of freebies, coupons, and money-saving ideas to help you make the most of your money.

Looking for some sweet educational aids? Who isn't! With all Ebates' great Scholastic Store coupons (and 5% cash back at the Scholastic Store). you can get your little one ahead in no time! From great TV series like Planet Earth and Goosebumps, to everyone's favorite Big Red Dog, Clifford, the Scholastic Store has everything to keep your little one learning and entertained.

Who could forget all the childhood fun that comes with Scholastic? As one of the oldest educational brands, Scholastic has changed little over the years while keeping one thing in mind: your children. With classics such as The Magic School Bus, I SPY, Geronimo Stilton, and Bone, Scholastic has been educating the masses for longer than you even realize! And now, with cash back and Scholastic Store coupons, you can even save on the most priceless gift of all: education.

So get out there and get to saving! Keep checking our coupon page for all kinds of ways to save - only at Ebates!

Despite the fact I've dubbed myself the Deal Hunting Diva, there are things even I can be taught. Perfect example: magazine subscriptions. Being a magazine fanatic for over a decade, I am fully aware that subscribing could save me a boatload of money. However enticing the offers, the idea of waiting two or three months for my first issue is something that has always kept me from filling out those pesky cardboard inserts. As far as subscribing online, I never really gave it a thought. Well I should have, because my monthly magazine habit of $25 adds up to three hundred dollars a year! For someone who passionately hates math, all it took was a simple equation to sober me up.

Just thinking of the hundreds of dollars I've wasted was enough to give me a sick feeling in my stomach, so after popping a pepto-bismol, I jumped into the Books and Magazines Category in search of relief. When it comes to glossy goodness, I routinely reach for Elle, Lucky, Vogue, Nylon, and a GQ for the bf. Thank goodness Ebates offers 26% Cash Back at Magazines.com, because my bill was going to be steep.

Or so I thought. 

I doubt that I'm really introducing anyone to Barnes & Noble. They're one of the biggest and most recognized book sellers in the nation, a notoriety they have earned through years of striving to bring you the biggest selection of books, DVDs, CDs, and all sorts of other media at an affordable price. What I am writing about today, actually, is a feature even I was unaware of, despite my years of visiting bn.com. I'm talking about "The Barnes & Noble 100".

What this unique feature adds to the website is hourly updates on what people are buying at Barnes & Noble. Don't you hate when people talk about a book, only to reply "Oh, no, I've actually never heard of that one..."? Well, this is your chance to find out what everyone around you is reading, get it first and say "Actually, yes, I read that about a month ago" which, believe me, feels wonderful.

While everyone knows that Ebates has the best selection of cash back merchants on the web, you may be surprised to know that Ebates offers 3% cash back at the iTunes store! That's right, America's #1 source for digital music, entertainment, games, and more is not only switching over to a DRM (license) free and higher quality standard - it's looking to save you money, too! Considering that Apple has sold literally billions of songs (and rents/sells over 50,000 movies every day), there's a strong chance that this little tidbit of information could save you big bucks in the long run.

On the topic of our future, a little birdie has informed me that a certain President-Elect has a pretty big ceremony coming up next Tuesday - one large enough to shape the entire future of the United States. And, almost serendipitously, another certain Reverend's holiday is right around the corner; prompting each and every one of us to take a few seconds and appreciate the battles long-fought for equality (and the ones still going today). Whether you're a religious follower of President-come-Tuesday Barack Obama, or a person who still believes in the radical ideals of equality of Martin Luther King Jr, these iTunes store downloads will help you understand these important African American figures and their impact on society.

Martin Luther King Jr. - The Best of the Speeches


I'm not quite sure how I feel about a "best of" for such a monumental figure, but if you're new to the wealth of works created by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., there's no better place to start than this mini-compendium of his most famous speeches. From "I Have a Dream" to "We Shall Overcome", this collection hits almost every major milestone in the Reverend's monumental career. The only real glaring omission here is his final speech - "I Have Been to the Mountaintop" - which is a must-listen for anyone looking for further nonviolent, integrationist inspiration in their lives. Either way, there's no better way to celebrate Dr. King Jr.'s memory than by listening to his own words, so pick up his speeches or books before Monday!


Barack Obama - Dreams from My Father & The Audacity of Hope


Offered in a digital bundle pack, this twofer of Barack Obama's moving tales is available on iTunes for $27.95. While that may be a bit more than if you were to grab them from Borders or Barnes and Noble, these books have the added bonus of being read by the President (elect) himself. While both are well-written, moving tales, Dreams from My Father takes a deeper look at the continuing effects of race on American culture, while The Audacity of Hope outlines Obama's key ideas for a non-partisan, change-laden approach to American politics. Both are must reads (or listens) for anyone looking to better know the man who will be stepping into office come Tuesday, so check them out as soon as possible!

As a new season of Fox's super-sized mega hit "reality" show American Idol is upon us, voyeurs, I mean viewers, say hello to a new batch of eager contestants thirsty for their fifteen minutes of fame. In the dawn of new faces, like Bikini Girl and Eccentric, we so easily discard the winners and the losers of seasons past; the embarrassing, the sad, and the institutional. I ask myself, what is the legacy of the William Hungs of the world, where do the Fanjayas turn after the Sanjayamania turns into a bad pop-culture hangover? The American Idol roadkill get book deals, or even better recording contract and the fans get a paperback or glossy-covered CD relic to remember them by.



So if you still miss William Hung and his socially-awkward alien like behavior, you can pick up his DVD documentary/album, Hanging With Hung, for only $9.99 at Borders with 4% cash back. Because, really don't you miss his powerful rendition of the intoxicating "She Bangs"? Plus, it will make a great addition to your DVD collection, as visitors marvel "Wow, I cant believe you actually own that."





If you are less in to William Hung, and a more of a late blooming "idolizer", you can pick up Sanjaya's Memoirs of the Idol experience, Dancing to the Music In My Head: Memoirs of The People's Idol and reminisce about his fascinating journey from "obscure" high school teenager to "obscure" reality star to just plain obscurity. You will also get to learn whats next for Sanjaya, as his story reminds readers that the world is his oyster and so it is your own. Get a copy for 20% off, and just $15.99, at Barnes and Noble with 4% cash back.





Exceptional literature is not only reserved for the contestants, but also the judges. If you want to live the good life a la Randy Jackson, get a copy of his attempt at writing in the form of Body With Soul from Alibris for a modest $4.98 with 3% cash back. This potpourri of information mixes memoir, a wellness program and inspirational advice, courtesy of Randall Darius, better known as Randy Jackson. Get your copy and let him guide you to "the best you" this year.

If you ever find yourself as an American Idol reject: your fifteen minutes of fame expired and all your friends and relatives can't stand you anymore, there is hope for you yet. You will leave behind a rich legacy of  vague memories of your television moments, a couple of unwatched YouTube videos, and just maybe some amazing literature.

Greetings gentle readers, today you'll be introduced to a small assortment of the many books which Barnes & Noble currently has on sale in their "Buy 2, Get the 3rd Free" Sale. I've tried my best to keep a fairly decent range of books, but am trying to limit my list to at least books I'm moderately familiar with so that I can recommend them in good faith. I've really got my work cut out for me here, so I'll just cut to the chase.

Fiction

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

This fascinating story of a young man with Aspbergers (a form of autism) will both tug at your heartstrings and fascinate you at the same time. Full of mathematical allusions (such as the insistence of numbering all chapters in prime numbers) and small idiosyncrasies, this is a quick but compelling read.




The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

Quite simply put, this is one of the best and the most important detective novels ever written. Perfectly capturing the noir fiction style and set in San Francisco, this story jumps off the pages. Sam Spade, Hammett's protagonist is chasing not only a murderer, but also a statue believed to be of incalculable value. I don't want to give much away, but just suffice it to say there is a reason this book is still popular and recommended now nearly eighty years after it's initial publication.



Non-Fiction

Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer

I'll admit that this one is one I have never read or even heard of before today. However, I've always found Proust fascinating and my soon-to-be-brother-in-law is pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience, so it seems like it could be not only a compelling read, but also a good conversation piece. Plus, it's focus is the ever-complex meeting place between philosophy and science. More impressive is the fact that the author penned this work at the tender age of 25.


Stuff White People Like: A Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions by Christian Lander

If I'm going to do obscure science/thought recommendations, I figure I also need to toss in a book that will have you laughing out loud rather than scratching your chin. A published collection of the finer points of the eponymous blog, this guide will tell you what all those Volvo-driving, arugula-eating white folks like, and more importantly, why they like them. Please, before you all get up in arms, remember: it's comedy. Treat it as such.



The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro

She's clumsy, she drinks to excess, she bounces from job to job. From what I've heard from friends, this book is essentially the female version of the vast majority of the books I read for pleasure. While I won't go as far as to call it a "feel good read" this does seem to be the type of book that makes you feel a tad better about yourself after you finish it. To put it more succinctly, if someone like myself, who favors die-hard masculine writers like Hemingway, Bukowski, and Raymond Carver can be tempted to buy this book for himself, there must be something there beyond the usual "girl feeling okay about herself" stories.
Heat by Bill Buford

Unfortunately, I'm sure that most of you don't know who Bill Buford is. Suffice it to say that he's a phenomenal journalist and has worked as an editor at a number of influential magazines and literary journals. He also wrote the book Among the Thugs which I am currently re-reading for about the fourth time. So now picture this: you have this talented writer working in the kitchen of Iron Chef and Italian eccentric Mario Batali. Chances are no truer look at the inside story of kitchen lackey has ever been given, and I can all but gaurantee no kitchen tale has ever been quite so entertaining. So if you like to read about food, eat food, or just read (or eat) good books, this should be right up your alley.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Chances are, most of you know this as book because of the movie. While Emile Hirsch does a great job in his role, there is little that compare with the book that originally inspired the film. Jon Krakauer relates the true-life tale of a dreamer who gets caught up in an adventure that he was, quite frankly, horribly unprepared for. Krakauer is able to relate his protagonist's journey to one he took as a younger man, and does an amazing job of excavating the facts to reveal the truth behind why a college graduate would donate all the money in his savings accoutn to charity and hitchhike to Alaska. No writer captures the spirit of the outdoors quite like Krakauer, and this book is really his defining work.

With Christmas just about three weeks away, many of us are making our lists and checking them twice - to budget out gifts for people on our lists. Regardless of the economy, it is still Christmas, and when you are spending your hard-earned dollars on the people you love, it is important to make sure, this year more than ever, that you are getting someone a thoughtful gift at a great value. A tried and true gift that fits this very criteria are books. Whether they are artistic coffee table books, hardcover classics, or the newest bestsellers, most everyone is pleased or at the very least grateful to open up a book from under the tree.


A great books for the Fashionista this year is "Bobbi Brown's Makeup Manual: Everyone From Beginner To Pro" available at Barnes & Noble for 30% off the list price at just $22.40 with 8% cash back. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $25, so pick op something else while you are at it and the entire order will be at your doorstep in three business days or less. This fabulous book covers everything from skincare essentials to every aspect of makeup execution from Bobbi herself  who has twenty five years of experience behind her. This book is essentially an all-encompassing how to guide detailing how to get many coveted makeup looks with easy-to-follow instructions. Plus, the book even has a section all about makeup artists and their insider secrets which can help to turn every woman into a gorgeous, flawless pro. The book itself is also pretty flawless: glossy pages (easy to wipe down if you have some makeup spillage) and a fun cover that will make any coffee table more intriguing. Check out the Bobbi Brown website in our Health and Beauty Category to shop for some goods with 4% cash back.




If someone on your list is less inspired by makeup and more by fashion than Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's new book "Influence" is the gift for them. This book is filled with beautiful photographs and anecdotes about all the things that influence the Olsen twins and their noteworthy fashion and cultural influence. This book is wildly entertaining and sells for an affordable $24.50, saving you 20% off the list price with 8% cash back also from Barnes and Noble.


For the more refined woman, I recommend Nina Garcia's (former editor of Elle Magazine, now for Marie Claire and host of Project Runway), "Little Black Book of Style" for just $15.96. This book is intended to guide one through the discovery of their fashion voice and personal style, to always look their best with ease. She details what to wear and when, and throughout the book she promotes the importance of 'eternal style being internal style'. Garcia is both credible and easy to follow, and this book makes a fun gift for the developed fashionista or the struggling one young and old.

Shop on!

As I've mentioned times before on this blog, I am a book nerd. I got my BA in Literature, I once held a credential to teach high school English, and I am about a semester away from finishing my master's degree in literature. In other words, books and I are totally BFF. 

With my dedication to books, I find myself scoffing at magazines from time to time. It tends to make me a bit of a snob, but I can't help myself. I recognize that there are a number of quality magazines out there that cover a large number of interests. For instance, Allie and Poppy both read fashion magazines regularly, and it clearly helps them keep on top of their game when it comes to picking great products for all of you folks. I think that half of my bias also derives from the fact that I was a magazine subscriber for years through my high school years - I got Rolling Stone, Guitar One, and Guitar World every month. I read them obsessively, passed along issues to my friends, and kept up to date on everything in the world of music and guitars through them. But here's the problem: every one of those issues that I loved so dearly for those years is currently sitting in my garage, waiting for me to do something constructive with them. I can't bring myself to throw them away, there are just too many to donate anywhere in particular, and I know that there are collectors who would love to have the boxed collection of every issue of any of those magazines for a two and a half year span. At least I hope there are.

There is one magazine out there, however, that might make me re-think my perceptions of magazines, and that is MAKE Magazine. This magazine is the tinkerer's dream come true; it is chock full of tidbits of knowledge on how to build or modify all sorts of fun things. For instance, just look at this video on how to make miniature solar powered robotic bugs:

They tell you how to make everything from zip-lines to high-powered water rockets. Being from the Bay Area, we also have the benefit of the Maker's fair every year, where people who have created their own gadgets and doodads come out and show them off all together in one place. But that's not the point. The point is this: you can get your very own MAKE Magazine subscription from Magazines.com. If you are intrigued, let me sweeten the deal with a little reminder: Magazines.com offers the highest cash back amount of any merchant in the Ebates family at 26%. That means whatever magazine you choose from them, whether it be MAKE, Marie Claire, or Maxim, you will get that subscription with an immediate savings of 1/4 whatever you would pay. What's even better? Magazines.com already has discounted prices. To stick with my MAKE Magazine example, Magazines.com offers subscriptions for 41% off the cover price. Combine the two savings, and you will be paying 43% of what you'd pay at the newsstand.That might even be enough to get me back into magazines!

I tend not to be too political on the internet. Aside from a few snarky Twitter comments and following news sites, I usually keep my politics and my PC far apart from each other. This weekend, however, I have to make a little public service announcements.

I am not going to try to sway you one way or another on any of the races. I'm not even going to say who I endorse, because I believe that's between myself and my ballot. Either way, the most important thing you can do, regardless of your party affiliation or your personal political beliefs is to read up on the issues. I realize the voter's guides are daunting. I realize that you probably think you have a hundred things better to be doing, but when it all boils down to it, being an informed is about the most important thing you can do with your time. So instead of trying to tell you where to find products that will change your life, or how to save a bunch of money on the things you love, I am simply going to ask that you put aside a little time this weekend and be sure that you make an informed choice. I know I don't have to tell any of you how important this election is, and I'm sure you're probably tired of hearing about it, but I promise, this will be my first and last blog about elections this year.

Best of all, the voter pamphlet is free, and it doesn't cost you anything to read up.  With all the money you save, you can afford to buy yourself a cup of coffee (or tea, or hot chocolate - your call) to make the experience of reading all that double talk a little more enjoyable.

And remember....

Alas, the weekend is upon us again, and with the week I've had, I'd like little more than to kick back, relax, and do some pleasure reading.  I may be alone in this feeling, but when I hear the words "pleasure reading", I don't necessarily think of a critically-renowned book, or a classic work of literature; I read enough of that for school, or just when I'm reading on the bus every day.  Honestly, when I think about reading for fun, especially on the weekend, my mind jumps to graphic novels.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of the "graphic novel" allow me to explain: in layman's terms, a graphic novel is just a big, elaborate comic book. To refine that just a bit more, it is a longer, much more developed story (aka, a novel) that is told with the combination of both pictures and words (hence "graphic") and more often than not is a bit more "mature" than your standard comic book.

I am aware that most of you don't know much about graphic novels, so I thought I'd just give a couple of recommendations and give you a quick synopsis of what they're about.  Hopefully you find something that tickles your fancy....

- Watchmen: Simply put, this is probably the most critically acclaimed graphic novel ever. It's like the War and Peace of graphic novels, but better. In March, a movie adaptation is coming out. It's almost too hard to explain beyond that.

- Batman: The Long Halloween: I am a Batman fanatic. I own about forty Batman graphic novels (read: almost every one ever released) and this is hands down the best of them. It's drawn beautifully, written better than most major novels, and is so suspenseful that you'll want to do nothing until you finish this book. It encompasses nearly every Batman villain as Batman tries to find a killer known only as "Holiday". But that's all I'll give away....

- Ghost World: Chances are, you might know the movie. The comic is better. The style is markedly more "graphic novel" than comic: it is all black and white with blue tones. There is nothing super-hero or special powers-related in this book, it's just life and the peculiarities that make it so, especially for the teenage girl who is the protagonist of the story.

- Sleepwalk: It's realistic and somewhat of a downer, but this beautifully-drawn black and white collection examines the delicate details of what happens behind closed doors, when people are alone. The characters are highly realistic, flawed people struggling to connect with one another. I agree, it sounds bleak, but there are moments in there that are simply transcendental for their narrative beauty.

- The Left Bank Gang: The author, Jason, takes expatriate Paris in the 1920s, examines the collection of literary giants that were living there at the time (folks like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein) and anthropomorphizes them into animals. The characters examine life and discuss literature; they also decide to rob a bank, which gives the book a somewhat absurd turn. It sounds crazy, it kind of is, but it's crazy served up just the way I like it.

Have a great weekend, hopefully you find a book (graphic or text, your choice) and enjoy a little relaxing page turning before heading back to work on Monday; I know I will!

I have a confession to make: I am obsessed with cooking. I don't do much of it, and that's probably why I remain so enamored with watching cooking shows, reading cook books, and hearing all sorts of fun "foodie" chatter. Recently, I've been lucky enough to find other people out there who share in both of my loves: cooking tricks, and music. This magical pairing goes together even better than peanut butter and chocolate, and thanks to the fact that many people have discovered how well the two interests mix, there are a few cook books that have recently been published celebrating the connection between music and food.

The first one I've been eagerly awaiting is Lost in the Supermarket by Kay Bozich Owens and Lynn Owens.

This book, which celebrates the pairing of food and music, also exists to provide a deeper understanding of how music and food tell everything you might want to know about a culture. In many ways, it's a cook book for the younger generations, featuring not only a number of recently hip recipes, but also specialties from a number of popular indie musicians.

So whether you're truly young and hip, or if you just want to prove to the world that you're young at heart and willing to adventure a bit in the kitchen, this book makes a great statement about how much fun it can be to crank up the stereo and get elbow deep in some great ingredients.

Don't let the title fool you; it shares a name with a song by British rockers The Clash, it isn't a value judgement on new chefs.

Similarly minded is the book Food that Rocks by Margie Lapanja and Cindy Coverdale.

This book takes a peek into the most hallowed of spaces for the music fan/foodie: into the kitchens of our favorite musicians. The authors spent a great deal of time interviewing all sorts of members of bands to get their favorite recipes at home and on the road. If you're an aspiring musician, you can eat the same food following the same recipes as some of your favorite musicians, and just maybe that special rock star diet will help you achieve all of your musical dreams.  But, more likely than not, you'll just be happy to have some interesting recipes from some unassuming sources that are easy enough for your average musician to handle.

Finally, there's I Like Food, Food Tastes Good by Kara Zuaro.

Again, don't be thrown by the title: it isn't supposed to be reflective of the thought processes of why you cook, rather it's from a song by The Descendents, the punk rock darlings of Manhattan Beach.

Unlike the other two titles, this book is a bit more low-brow in its recipes, focusing more on what it is that the musicians we admire eat when they're on the road. Speaking as a musician with some touring experience, your main focus is something that doesn't cost much, and your secondary focus is something that is quick and easy. When you're not eating fast food, you are throwing together unlikely packaged foods with the hopes of finding something tasty to get you through hours in a van or bus. 

While the recipes range from the simple and conventional (mixing Mac 'n Cheese with canned chili) to the gourmet (a Macaroni and Cheese recipe involving lobster and white truffles) this book lets you into the kitchens of all your favorite bands.  As an added bonus, there is also a whole section on custom cocktails, which goes far beyond plain old beer and whiskey.

If you're like me, you wonder how this whole "food revolution" came to be. In the past, I have wondered to myself "How is it that offhand I know that I love raw yellowtail and mackerel, or that I prefer smelt roe to salmon roe? Does it strike anyone else odd that someone like me can discuss the relative merits and differences between cooked eel (unagi) and fresh sea eel (anago)? Did people twenty years ago get their veggies drizzled with a cilantro-mango vinaigrette? Was aioli part of their daily vocabulary? When did all of this happen?"  I have found a book, recommended by a great friend of mine, that tries to tackle some of these burning questions. It's called The United States of Arugula by David Kamp. While it has no mention of music, it is a fascinating examination of how this emerging food culture came to be, and is a must-read for any self-proclaimed foodie.

All of the books I've written about today are available for order at Barnes & Noble but I will forewarn you, Lost in the Supermarket isn't being published for another month, so just do as I did and put it on your wish list. Plus, don't forget that in addition to the everyday great deal of free shipping on all orders over $25, you also get 4% Cash Back from Ebates, so spice up your meal and your cook book shelf today!

This has been a great summer for book-based movies. As of today, six of the top ten grossing movies of the year started out as books. This isn't surprising, considering the comic book blockbusters like "The Dark Knight", "Iron Man", and "The Incredible Hulk" all did so well. The other three are "Sex and the City", which existed first in novel form before being adapted into the television series, "Horton Hears a Who!" from Dr. Seuss, as well as the latest installment from the Narnia series, "Prince Caspian". Being a literature nerd, I always assert that the book is better than the movie, and generally speaking, I am right.  Having said that, now is your chance to really cash in on great deals at Border's on all the books that I just listed, or to get a jump on some of the new movies that are due out soon. Most of the buzz in "book-to-movie land" is about "Twilight", based on the wildly popular first book in a series about teen vampires, which is set to hit screens on December 12th. Since comic book movies are obviously scoring high marks, keep an eye out for "Watchmen", which is set for release in March of 2009. This graphic novel is one of the most widely applauded comics ever released, and from the initial trailer release, the movie shows the promise of being an amazing adaptation. Finally, the latest buzz is surrounding "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist", based on the popular young adult novel of the same name; due out in early October, this promises to be the next "Juno".

Now is your chance, click over to Border's, add some of these titles to your cart, and you can also feel the joy of saying "I liked the book a lot better." With a rebate of 4% through Ebates, on top a coupon for free shipping on any purchase of $25 or more, this is the perfect opportunity to read a few quality page-turners before you see them on the big screen or to read the books that inspired some of your favorite movies of the year.
 

This holiday season, stuff their stockings with the gift of choice: give your friends and family Borders gift cards! Borders just joined Ebates and we're rewarding you with 3% Cash Back on all gift card purchases (all other Borders merchandise is not eligible for Cash Back). Your recipient can redeem their gift card for books, DVDs, music, children's books and more. You can even personalize your gift card with a favorite photo! Why scour the stores for the perfect gift when a Borders gift card lets your recipients pick their own? Gift giving has never been easier!

In the age of iPhones, Tivo and Apple TV, reading a book may seem as hip as carrying one of these while rockin' out to a John Tesh cassette. Not to sound like an aged schoolmarm, but doesn't anybody read anymore? Reassuringly, the answer is a resounding "yes!", at least according to these Ebates staffers. Below are their picks for recently read favorites.

If you're looking for great offers on books, start with Ebates. You can earn Cash Back at the top online bookstores.

Hector:

Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris. "What's more horrifying than Silence of the Lambs? To understand what made Lecter the killer he was."

Justine:

The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson. "I love royal scandal and no one did it better than Henry the VIII. This book looks at his last wife Catherine Parr and his life from her point of view."

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova." If you like the Da Vinci Code this is a must read! It's an Adventure/Thriller based on the historical legend of Vlad the Impaler."

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. "A gripping story about a recluse writer and her amazing mysterious life. Well written and a great way to get lost in a good book."

Keith:

Blink by Malcom Gladwell. "An amazing book about the power of the gut instinct and how some of the best decisions we make are made in a split second. One of the most interesting books I've ever read."

:07 Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum. "Any NBA fan who has always wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes has to read this book. It's the real inside story of an entire season with the Phoenix Suns - their locker room personalities, coach/player dynamics, fragile psyches and egos, rivalries with other teams, etc."

Dylan:

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. "A darkly humorous and highly entertaining book.  Since this is a Hornby book (About a Boy, High Fidelity), it will of course make a great movie. Beginning from a New Year's Eve suicide ledge, a wild ride ensues. From such a morbid circumstance, you would never expect such a fun read."

Hollie:

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks. "He is a southern writer, so he tends to attract me.  All of his stories take place in small town North Carolina, and so did this one. It is a heart wrenching story about trust, love, sacrifices and even death. It is a story of a New York man falling in love with a care-free small-town Sothern girl. They both have to make sacrifices to be together, and after just a few months of dating are engaged to be married and also pregnant.Sparks was able to get you hooked right away with the love story and then keep you interested through all of the deceit and struggles that this couple had to go through. Definitely recommend it, especially for Nicholas Sparks lovers."

Jen:

Moneyball by Michael Lewis. "It’s about the Oakland A’s and how they are able to make it to the playoffs every year without spending hundreds of millions of dollars."

Anna:

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin."I love books by Sophie Kinsella, especially Can you Keep a Secret and the Shopaholic Series. A similar book I've fallen in love with is Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin. It’s so good! Why? Because it’s so real. These may be considered girly  novels, but they add a funny (and sometimes dramatic)  twist on things that happen in relationships. If you're looking for a light read these are the perfect pick."

Rob:

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
by Steven Levitt. "Levitt, a noted MIT economist, wrote this best-seller that came out a year or two ago, to showcase how numbers and economic theory can be applied to analyze everday real-world events. It is not meant for economists or written as a dull, dry business tome, but it covers some fascinating topics like how school teachers get incented to cheat, how real estate transactions are structured to not benefit the seller, gives a surprising conclusion to the argument of what was behind national drops in violent crime, discusses the hierarchical business-like setup of a Chicago crack selling gang, and seeks to prove that the style of parenting has little effect on children’s eventual success, and more. For anyone who doesn’t think like an economist, this was written in a fascinating style to show how you could come to non-intuitive conclusions about real-world situations using theories and analysis that are grounded in economics."

Sandro:

Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga. "This little book recounts the life of Eiji Ijichi, who early in life left his middle class existence to become a Yakuza. Set in pre-war Japan, the book is a short and engaging read, taking the reader on a series of vignettes set in a time not so long ago, but so different that it might as well be set in the middle ages. The story more or less follows Eiji’s remarkable life, from a young apprentice Yakuza to a boss. In between, he has amazing adventures: years in cruel Japanese prisons, a stint in the pre-war army stationed in northern Korea and of course the obligatory cutting off of the tip of his pinkie to apologize for transgressions to his Yakuza boss. The simple and direct narrative brings everything to life and makes you feel immersed in this far off world. Through simple language and direct narrative, the book manages to make the reader truly understand Eiji and his colorful world. I only wish it were twice as long! Great read for anyone interested in history, Japanese culture or organized crime."

 

o...  you've bought some new clothes, a backpack, and you've got your  highlighters all ready to go, but where are your books for your lit  class? Barnes & Noble is marking down their Classics  50% off! Lots of them are around $2.47, and that's before Cash Back from Ebates!

Why not buy your books with a friend? If you spend $25 or more, you get free shipping!

How  often can you buy brand new books for this cheap? It's a lot better  than chipping dried chocolate off your student store used copy of "Madame Bovary".