Gift Card Timing

Late December and early January used to be a literary wasteland populated with "diet and self-help books for the New Year's-resolution crowd." Thanks to the popularity of gift cards, however, the Wall Street Journal reports: "A number of high-profile books are landing in stores on Dec. 30 and Jan 6. One reason: Those release dates capitalize on the growing popularity of gift cards." The story lists some of these high-powered releases here.