We know how much our readers hate expensive textbooks, so meet Andre Ditto, the 47 year-old vegan personal trainer who is going to run the NYC marathon carrying 30lbs of textbooks both to protest the high cost of college textbooks and as a promotion for ebook retailer CaféScribe.

In return, CaféScribe will be paying for Mr. Ditto’s daughter’s textbooks for a year. We’ve always considered running marathons to be insane behavior (even without carrying a backpack full of books) but Andre is confident that he can do it.

According to the press release that came sailing into our inbox, Andre will be carrying (among others) the world’s heaviest textbook: Art History by Marilyn Stokstad. We have a degree in Art History. Good luck, Andre. You’re going to need it to defeat Stokstad.

(Photo: Susannah Dambmann)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.