A strange phenomenon in Italy has caught the attention of publishers worldwide. At least one day a week, many Italian newspapers have begun offering discounted books of poetry and prose to anyone who buys the paper, and the promotion has been a rousing success. “The sales have helped raise circulation modestly and have given an unexpected infusion of cash to newspapers.” The strategy itself – using culture to sell the mainstream media – doesn’t seem to raise too many eyebrows in Italy, but in America, where consumers frequently have to be bribed to pick up a book, it seems like a complete reversal from the usual relationship between media types and artists.