"Must Read"

Well, this is embarrassing. Not only have I not even begun Brighton Rock—which is apparently quite a good read—but I've also recently discovered that a certain batshit lunatic elected official from Minnesota and I have far too much in common. Define "far too much," you say? Well, thanks to the Wayback Machine, I've been able to see the terrifying-sounding reading list from her 2002 State Senate campaign website. 

Much to my horror, one of my favorite books of all time, and perhaps my absolute favorite non-fiction book, John Adams, by David McCullough, is FIRST on her list. First! I have been spreading the good news of the forgotten second President (it wasn't Jefferson?) for two or three years now to anyone that will listen, and now I have to live with the uncomfortable knowledge that I actually like a thing that Michelle Bachmann likes. It really makes me question my existence a little bit. Still, at least it's not the pro-slavery book. 

Also, in other tangentially-related news, we've got some new competish' in the Book Club world. Apparently some start-ups in New York City (always trying to one-up us) have taken the Book Club world by storm by taking advantage of local laws and forming The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society (I've linked to their "About" page, which is safe for work as of the time that I wrote this, but pretty much every other part of their blog is NSFW, so be warned, office workers and mastrophobes (also, pulp fiction the genre, not the Tarantino film)). In their words: 

We’re a group of friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends, and complete strangers, who love good books and sunny days and enjoying both as nearly in the altogether as the law allows. Happily, in New York City, the law allows toplessness by both men and women. So that’s the way we do our al fresco reading. If you’re in New York and the weather’s good, won’t you join us sometime…?

 If this isn't just a blatant attempt to steal our thunder, I don't know what it is. You have hip, urban intellectuals, creating a book club that limits itself to a specific genre in order to expand the horizons of its members (and their blog is on WordPress!). These upstarts, despite being formed a whole year after us, are already robbing us of our up-and-coming internet fame. At least they don't have beer or kayaking yet (that I know of), but still. I have to say, their name really has ours beat (it's the "Appreciation Society" that does it, but I do take issue with the "Co-Ed" part, because I don't see that many moobs at first glance). Anyway, I guess we ought to just throw in the towel now in the interest of saving time. 


Annnnnd: This concludes the FIRST Book Club post with an NSFW link! Talk about bragging rights 4LIFE!