Election Year Dinner Conversation

A fly on our wall a few nights ago would have witnessed the following scene:

Tom, Elizabeth, Molly, and Violet are sitting at the table together, enjoying a leisurely dinner.

MOLLY. Mom, what's Obama, again?

ELIZABETH. He's a presidential candidate.

MOLLY. No, what is he?

TOM. He's one of the people running for president in the election this November.

MOLLY. No, no - Obama, what's Obama?

ELIZABETH. (Puzzled.) Well, Obama is his last name. Barack Obama is his full name. He's going to be our first African-American president, after George Bush's term is up in January. (Tom raises his eyebrows at Elizabeth; she smiles.)

MOLLY. (Increasingly frustrated.) NO. I mean, what IS he? What do you call him? Remember Mom, you were telling me about it, about the people who believe in sharing? The people who care about other people? What do you call them again?

ELIZABETH. (Chagrined.) Um, do you mean . . . Democrats?

MOLLY. Yes! Democrats! He's a Democrat! Right, Mom? (Tom chokes on his water and snorts with laughter.)

ELIZABETH. Yeah, he's a Democrat. (Turns to Tom.) We, uh, had a little talk about politics the other day.

MOLLY. I can't wait until George Bush isn't president anymore! He made us be in a war! He's bad! I HATE him! We hate him, right Violet? (Laughs hysterically.)

VIOLET. Yeah, we hate George Bush! Ha ha ha ha ha!

What can I say? Emotions are running high these days. Everyone's in their corners and the gloves are off. Less than a month to go! Bring. It. On.

Finally!

Look what arrived on our doorstep yesterday!



Isn't it MARVELOUS? I am beside myself with excitement! The book is beautifully printed, and Tom's illustrations look amazing. After seeing them on his drawing table for so long (years!) it's awesome to see the finished book.

"Thrill follows thrill as we follow Rikki Ducornet's genius branching out across our world, exploring what we are, what we might have been, and what we might be and be doing: for instance inspecting fifty concrete ears exactly thirty feet high, being spanked in Vienna by the Mistress of Napkin Folding, indulging in the dream life of bivalves, or rejecting the redemptress Ziti Motlog and her pesky seeds as well as 'fables of saviors born in stables and served up to heaven like shashlik on a stick.' The cortege of surprises is glossed throughout by T. Motley's insidious, witty drawings, which terminally evolve into three comic-book collaborations that provide this succulent repast with its perfect dessert." -- Harry Mathews

Congratulations, Rikki and Tom! Now, everyone - go and get yourself a copy! Or leave me a comment if you want a signed-by-the-illustrator copy, and I'll see what I can do for you.

I am SO PROUD!

(Edited to add: In my enthusiasm, I forgot that the copies we got yesterday are advance copies, and the book isn't quite yet available to everyone else. You can pre-order though!)