Book now for christmas.

I recently received a very charming email from the Mother of a shoeman, who was enquiring as to whether she could perhaps purchase a gift voucher of sorts, that she could give to her son at christmas and he could then exchange in his own time for the Mr. Hare shoes of his choice from the SS2010 Hot Steppers collection. Naturally I was compelled to oblige as I am still in the "what? you have actually heard of my shoes?" stage.
So I set to thinking about what a Mr. Hare gift voucher should look like. What is a gift voucher? Essentially, a redeemable item that substitutes cash in a later transaction. So when I redeem it what would I like to receive in that transaction? Then I hit upon a brilliant idea. Yes I do say so myself.I went down to Waterstones and purchased this interesting little book, which I inscribed with the basic parameters of the deal and some customary christmas messages. So now, instead of having a one use only gift voucher which one might lose before one actually gets around to using, one has a gift voucher, a thought provoking work, the prospect of the freshest Mr. Hare shoes secured, a personal audience with myself, the obligation of previewing the book for me (instant icebreaker) and a sort of green recycling feel good sensation at the most frenzied consumerist time of the year.
Now a word about the book I chose on this occasion. Exercises in Style - A short story is retold in 99 different styles by Raymond Queneau. Awesome!

So... If you are stuck for that perfect gift for the cherished shoeman and bookist in your life, then let Mr. Hare help. I am always up for a good book recommendation.