David Horvitz - Comment voler des livres / How to shoplift books
David Horvitz - Comment voler des livres / How to shoplift books
The artists’ book “How to shoplift books” by David Horvitz is a guide on how to steal books. It details 80 ways in which one can steal a book, from the very practical, to the witty, imaginative, and romantic.
“Hide the book inside a fake rock.”
This textbook is readable, but also shamelessly draws attention to its existence as an object, a conversation starter, a thing that can be acquired by fair means or foul. This is a book that turns a point of sale display into an intellectual and ethical adventure.
The work is romantic and anachronistic: as our primary source for buying books becomes impersonal online shops (that pretend to deliver a personal experience) it is almost impossible to spontaneously steal anything, and the act of disobedience becomes a story of the past. Horvitz’ compendium of delightfully written performance instructions is a collection of modern culture scripts and is, so to speak, writing history.
“Cook up some garlic in olive oil in the store. Exit with the book while everyone is caught in the ecstasy of the aroma.”
A comprehensive guide to stealing books with its price printed on the cover, clearly visible, provokes the visitor of a bookshop to become aware of the unconscious decisions, pre-empted by others, that we make every day. The poetic, funny and paradoxical texts also bring to light some structural elements of the mechanics of bookselling and our relation to the exchange of goods. It inserts friction into the conditioned behaviour we display when we are moving through commercial spaces. All advertising tells us to buy things, we rarely come across a message encouraging us to steal – especially not one with the authority that print still carries.
“Fill a bag with the books you want. Make it heavier than you can carry. Ask an employee to help you carry it outside.”
Maybe this publication provides some real options: Buy the book for only 9.99 and then save a lot of money on books in the future with all the skills you can learn with this guide? Steal the book because it is declaring that it’s okay to steal books (although it doesn’t)? Or use it as a device to create a conversation about the power of analogue media, and perhaps decide to support the artists, authors, designers, publishers, printers, distributors and bookshops, and just buy more books?
“Smash a hole in the store’s window. Throw the book through the hole.”
The artists’ book “How to shoplift books” by David Horvitz is a guide on how to steal books. It details 80 ways in which one can steal a book, from the very practical, to the witty, imaginative, and romantic.
“Hide the book inside a fake rock.”
This textbook is readable, but also shamelessly draws attention to its existence as an object, a conversation starter, a thing that can be acquired by fair means or foul. This is a book that turns a point of sale display into an intellectual and ethical adventure.
The work is romantic and anachronistic: as our primary source for buying books becomes impersonal online shops (that pretend to deliver a personal experience) it is almost impossible to spontaneously steal anything, and the act of disobedience becomes a story of the past. Horvitz’ compendium of delightfully written performance instructions is a collection of modern culture scripts and is, so to speak, writing history.
“Cook up some garlic in olive oil in the store. Exit with the book while everyone is caught in the ecstasy of the aroma.”
A comprehensive guide to stealing books with its price printed on the cover, clearly visible, provokes the visitor of a bookshop to become aware of the unconscious decisions, pre-empted by others, that we make every day. The poetic, funny and paradoxical texts also bring to light some structural elements of the mechanics of bookselling and our relation to the exchange of goods. It inserts friction into the conditioned behaviour we display when we are moving through commercial spaces. All advertising tells us to buy things, we rarely come across a message encouraging us to steal – especially not one with the authority that print still carries.
“Fill a bag with the books you want. Make it heavier than you can carry. Ask an employee to help you carry it outside.”
Maybe this publication provides some real options: Buy the book for only 9.99 and then save a lot of money on books in the future with all the skills you can learn with this guide? Steal the book because it is declaring that it’s okay to steal books (although it doesn’t)? Or use it as a device to create a conversation about the power of analogue media, and perhaps decide to support the artists, authors, designers, publishers, printers, distributors and bookshops, and just buy more books?
“Smash a hole in the store’s window. Throw the book through the hole.”
2019
84 pages, 1 color, paberback, edition of 1000
English (978-3-945900-20-8)
French (978-3-945900-22-2)
Spanish (978-3-945900-22-2)
155 × 105 cm
En savoir plus sur l'expédition
En savoir plus sur l'expédition
Délai de préparation
Les commandes sont traitées dans un délai de 1 à 2 jours ouvrables, du mardi au vendredi (hors jours fériés), après réception de votre e-mail de confirmation de commande. Vous recevrez une autre notification lorsque votre commande sera expédiée. Certains produits peuvent être en cours de réapprovisionnement et nécessiter plus de temps pour la préparation. Dans ce cas, nous vous en informerons par e-mail.
Veuillez noter que certains de nos T-shirts sont produits à la demande avec un stock limité disponible. Cela signifie que le délai de préparation peut prendre de 2 à 3 semaines en fonction du calendrier de production. Merci de votre patience et de votre compréhension.
Emballage et tarifs d'expédition
Nous prenons le plus grand soin pour que nos produits soient emballés de la manière la plus protectrice possible. Pour les affiches et les impressions, nous les roulons dans un tube en carton robuste, puis nous plaçons le tube dans une boîte en carton. Cependant, veuillez noter que certains produits, tels que les livres et les affiches, ne peuvent pas être emballés ensemble. Par conséquent, les commandes contenant différents types ou tailles de produits peuvent être soumises à des frais d'expédition doubles.
Nous proposons une expédition dans le monde entier via le service postal français La Poste, Colissimo, Priority Mail ou Delivengo. Les frais d'expédition de votre commande seront automatiquement calculés en fonction de facteurs tels que le poids du colis, le volume et la destination. Si vous préférez utiliser un autre transporteur tel que UPS, FedEx ou DHL, veuillez nous contacter avant de passer votre commande.
Estimations de transit :
- Colissimo (avec signature à la livraison) :
- France : 2 à 3 jours ouvrables
- Europe : 3 à 5 jours ouvrables
- Autres pays : 5 à 8 jours ouvrables - Lettre Verte / Lettre Service Plus / Lettre internationale (sans signature requise) :
- France : 2 à 3 jours ouvrables
- Europe : 5 à 7 jours ouvrables
- Autres pays : 7 à 14 jours ouvrables - Delivengo (sans signature requise) :
- Autres pays : 7 à 14 jours ouvrables
Veuillez garder à l'esprit que les délais de livraison sont des estimations et peuvent être retardés en raison du volume élevé chez le transporteur et du traitement en douane.
Retrait en magasin
Vous pouvez éviter les frais d'expédition en choisissant le retrait gratuit dans notre librairie à Paris. Après avoir passé votre commande et sélectionné le retrait local lors du paiement, votre commande sera préparée et prête à être récupérée dans les 24 heures (hors week-ends et jours fériés). Nous vous enverrons un e-mail lorsque votre commande sera prête, accompagné des instructions.
Nos horaires de retrait en magasin sont de 10h à 19h du mardi au samedi, de 14h à 19h le dimanche. Veuillez avoir votre e-mail de confirmation de commande avec vous lors de votre venue.