Book Recall Sparks Concern

Books can be dangerous in many ways. Lots of people think that the ideas some books help spread can be dangerous to your mind and spirit. But can a book be physically dangerous?

Recently, for instance, I was afraid for my safety while reading Stephen King’s gargantuan Under the Dome (Scribner). It seemed possible to me that I might fall asleep while reading in bed and be crushed under the weight of all those pages. (Not that the book is sleep-inducing. Far from it, in fact. But, like a lot of people, I was reading to help me disconnect from my day.)

Today, however, Sunset Publishing is dealing with a different type of dangerous book altogether. They’re involved in a recall of almost one million copies of books published since 1975 that might lead you to start a fire: and not a literal one. From The San Jose Mercury News:

One of the most trusted names in DIY, Menlo Park-based Sunset Publishing, was forced to recall six of its titles after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers who followed some of the wiring instructions in the books risked electrical shocks or could start a fire.

The books under recall are six of Sunset’s titles, including Sunset Basic Home Repairs, Sunset Complete Home Wiring and Sunset Complete Patio Book.

If you own a book that will fall under this recall, the Mercury News has included response specifics here.