But you don't have to take my word for it!

So this weekend, I think on Friday, I was at Bookshop Santa Cruz, as I often am, and found a book I wanted to read.

It's called It's Superman! and is an attempt by a somewhat classy novelist to retell the Superman story in a somewhat classy way, set in the late 30s (when the character debuted) and reflecting that time period (from the dustbowl midwest to gangster-controlled New York*) in a convincing and interesting way.

It also cost $25 which, while about par for the course, is nonetheless more than I can responsibly afford to spend on a book.

I went home and looked online, where I found copies for as low as $6 (they were uncorrected paperback galleys, which if I had to guess were promos sent out to bookstores).
But with shipping that still came out to like $12, which was too much for such a dubious edition.


Two days later, I was wondering around campus by myself. I'd just eaten alone at 9/10 and then vaguely intended to watch a movie for class that I'd missed, but it turned out the only available copy was taken (by the teacher, apparently).

It was then that I realized that the same place that housed the movie also contained a large number of books.
A computer search and a lady handing me a floor plan yielded a dustjacketless copy of It's Superman!

And they let me take it. For free.

I mean, I have to give it back in a couple of weeks, so it's not quite like if I'd bought it over the Internet, but it's still a pretty good deal.

I don't know if your local town or institution of higher learning also has one of these Free Book-Getting Buildings, but I highly recommend them for the next time you want to get a book for free.

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*New York, not Metropolis. Not sure why.