Not even Jonathan Franzen, with yet another best-seller, can resist the gravitational pull of Oprah Inc. forever. Franzen, who famously rebuffed Oprah's 2001 effort to co-opt his novel, The Corrections, for her book club, has finally given in. Franzen went on Oprah yesterday. Neither he nor Oprah explained why, but other events (and press releases) make it clear that the interview was part of a deal between Harpo Productions and Google. Google is launching the marketing campaign for its new Ebookstore. Franzen's hot new book, Freedom, is one of the offerings. You have to pay for Franzen's book, but to help hype the launch, Google is highlighting the fact that two Dickens classics, Great Expectations and Tale of Two Cities, are among the free offerings. And by pure coincidence [wink wink], Oprah has chosen the Dickens books Google is pushing as her new book club selections.

Everything that happens on television is about selling you stuff -- including the news.

Read about both these supposedly unrelated gambits on the book blog Shelf Life. Since Shelf Life is owned by Entertainment Weekly and its last four articles are about the different elements of this marketing collaboration, I suspect EW has a piece of the marketing campaign, too. By the way, Troy, booksellers can tie in to Ebookstore and get a percentage on purchases made through their sites.

Bookfan, Everything that happens in this country is about selling you stuff -- especially the news."

I'm pretty sure the Dickens' titles were in the publick domain so I'm sure about the vlue add there.

You best believe I'll incorporate ebook commissions in the the business model.

Everything that happens in this country is about selling you stuff."

U.S. culture summed up in eleven words.

I like the way you said it better than the way I said it. I'll have to credit you when I use it, damn it.