Shop top categories that ship internationally
See All Buying Options
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Get new release updates & improved recommendations
Art Farkas
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Letters to Ebay: Hilarious Auctions, Crazy Emails, and Bongos for Grandma Paperback – August 30, 2007

by Art Farkas (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars (21)
By day, Paul Meadors is a fifth grade teacher in a small California town. By night, he trolls the millions of items for sale on eBay, posing as his alter ego Art Farkas, and catching sellers off guard with his ludicrous and bizarre questions about their auctions. As he amusingly demonstrates time and time again, even in today's hyper-vigilant and impersonal digital world, the spirit of human salesmanship lives on, no matter how outrageous the question or request. For example, Art asks the seller of a set of bongo drums if there would be a way to attach them to his grandmother's back so that she could take them to the corner and play on the street to earn her rent money--which elicits a sincere, yet bitingly humorous response. From the entertaining auctions themselves, to Paul's loony letters and the serious responses they provoke, LETTERS TO eBAY provides a fascinating and humourous glimpse into the strange world of eBay and those who dwell within.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grand Central Publishing
  4. Publication date
    August 30, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.63 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0446699586
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0446699587
Next slide of product details
Books%20with%20Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

PAUL MEADORS, aka ART FARKAS, lives in Fresno,
California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 30, 2007
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446699586
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446699587
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.63 x 8 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #5,491,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 out of 5 stars (21)

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Art Farkas

Art Farkas

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Paul Meadors is a fifth grade teacher who lives in Fresno, CA. He enjoys playing video games, reading comic books, and playing fantasy sports. An accomplished pianist, trumpeter, athlete and coach he stumbled upon writing his first book, LETTERS TO EBAY, by accident. In the summer of 2005 he started to write prank questions to eBay sellers which then turned into obsession. One highlight from his book experience was having dinner with Mr. Kotter himself, Gabe Kaplan, who also wrote a digital prank letter book. He is married to Lori and has three young daughters Georgie, Alex, and Ruthie.

Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
21 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

  • Alan A. Memley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Letters to eBay
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2009
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book is ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS! We have purchased 8 additional copies to give to family and friends. Keep a box of tissues handy when reading... it is so funny, your eyes will water, as you laugh yourself silly!

    You CANNOT GO WRONG buying this book.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • NormalNobody
    1.0 out of 5 stars Dumb.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Boring, unoriginal, and really dumb. Not in a good way dumb. In a bad way. Sometimes I just like to read some funny things to break up a bad day. This was not funny.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • MsKate
    3.0 out of 5 stars A good book to leave in the bathroom
    Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2009
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I misunderstood the point of this book. I thought that it would be humorous letters from that the author had found on eBay, not that the author was creating the situations himself. The letters he wrote reminded me of an adolescent boy calling to ask if your refrigerator is running. The ones I enjoyed most were the ones that seemed not to take him too seriously. My problem is that I see the merchants on eBay as business people who are self-employed and their time is valuable. Mr. Farkas wasted their time. You wouldn't do this to a lawyer because you would be charged for wasting that time.

    There are very funny auctions on eBay. One of my favorites was a man selling a wedding dress, which he modeled himself. And he explained in no uncertain terms why he ended up with a wedding dress to sell. The byplay between him and the bidders was hilarious. This isn't. Just entertaining enough to pick up when you find yourself in the bathroom with nothing else to read.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Esther N. Unger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Letters to Ebay
    Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2008
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Hilarious Book! Had us all laughing hysterically. Stories are skillfuly created in author's mind and it's fascinating to see how one bluff skillfully is intertwined with the next. Great bathroom reading for those who love some fun! Absolutely comical.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Edward DesMaisons
    1.0 out of 5 stars Not a whole lot there.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2009
    Format: Paperback
    After reading through a handful of these, I felt more and more like the pranks were just mean. And more often than not, they weren't even funny. I'm always a bit queasy about any humor at other people's unsuspecting expense anyway (think, Borat). If that expense isn't funny, what's the point?
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • ACToplasm
    3.0 out of 5 stars Letters to eBay
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2007
    Format: Paperback
    In the vein of the Darwin Awards, Bad Cat, and the Book of Bunny Suicides, Letters to eBay is not a deep and contemplative book that offers reason and thought on the meaning of life. It is a book about unusual and strange auctions that have been posted on eBay and one man's alter ego responding to them. The result is the perfect book to have lying around one's home, on a coffee table next to the New Yorker, or to take on a trip with you, as I did: a hilarious and entertaining read that you can just pick up and turn to any page.

    Art Farkas is not a real person, as you have possibly guessed. The real author behind this book created the pseudonym and fake character one night in August of 2005, when he decided to check out some auctions on eBay. As he looked through friends' auctions, as well as just generally searching others, an alter ego began to develop who would question and challenge and befuddle the claims made by people on their auctions. The result was Art Farkas, "America's top cyber-prankster." Here are some examples:

    An auction was listed for a large decorative bird cage, and at the bottom it made the promise to be "worry free." Farkas seizes on this, contacting the auctioneer with a question about whether this will cure his constant worrying of everything: "I worry about simple and great things of the world including whether sippy cups are really safe, the GNP of Hungary, and the number 72." The result is the amusing response from the auctioneer who explains in sincerity that the bird cage will not cure Farkas' problem.

    An unusual collector of vintage traps lists a "Large Lucien Legeard trap." The auctioneer explains that while these traps were made illegal in 1904, they are still excellent collector's pieces. Farkas contacts the auctioneer, setting up a story that he and a group of older men engage in a live-action game like the Fugitive, where they are all chasing one man. His question is whether the trap would work well to catch a man and how good of a job it will do. Farkas receives this amusing response that the trap would not work well and that any person could easily break free of it. "The British did have a man trap with double springs and plain jaws. But when these come up for auction they are terrible expensive because of their rarity." As is the problem with all written Internet communication, one is never sure of the meaning and emotion behind a comment, e-mail, or letter. In this case, the auctioneer may well think this story is true, which is just bizarre; or they may see the prank that Farkas is playing on them, choosing to play along.

    The result is a collection of responses from people who had pranks played on them and the question is whether they fall for it or not. As the more one reads of the book, the more one feels like after they read the Book of Bunny Suicides; it is an unsettled feeling in their gut, as they know that this just feels wrong. Nevertheless, it really depends on the type of person reading the book. Some who read Letters to eBay will, like me, feel that a lot of innocent people are being conned and tricked; while others will just be LOL (laughing out loud). Ultimately, this book has a little something for everyone.

    For more book reviews, and other writings, go to [...]
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Catherine M. Mciver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Letters to Ebay
    Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2007
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is a very funny book, that is sure to entertain the people who receive it for Christmas.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Armchair Interviews
    3.0 out of 5 stars If you need silliness, this is it.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2007
    Format: Paperback
    From duct tape to straw hats and Hello Kitty merchandize, Art Farkas has questions about them all. Inspired by his ebay-selling older brother, Art (or Paul Meadors as he's know in real life) took upon himself to write the weirdest and most far-out questions to ebayers about their auctions. This book contains all these auctions, Art's letters to the sellers and their replies.

    Art wants to know if a set of bongo drums can be carried by his grandma, or if they'd be too heavy. He wants to know if `Satin Organza' can be used by strict Presbyterians who are of course against `Satin and all his powers', and if a bird feeder can hold liquids so that he can fill it with alcohol and watch the birds get tipsy. The letters vary from the crazy to the simply insane. The amusing thing however, is not his questions as much as the sellers' replies. Very few catch on to him and calls his bluff. The majority tries to answer his questions sensibly, while adhering to the age-old saying "The customer is always right."

    While the letters and replies provide great entertainment, they do get a bit repetitious after awhile, as there are only so many questions to ask about similar auctions. I'd therefore recommend readers to just read a couple at a time rather than all at once, to be able to fully savour the wonderful weirdness of them.

    Armchair Interviews says: Ah ha, wonderful weirdness. We need more of that.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report