The angry author, a literary storm and 'one dead armadillo'

[Lori Price CLG]

The angry author, a literary storm and 'one dead armadillo'

After the recent flurry of damning political memoirs, not to mention Michael Moore's box-office busting documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11," the Bush administration (sic: dictatorship) might feel it has been dumped on quite enough for one election season.

But the worst may be yet to come, in the unlikeliest of forms: a slim volume of fiction from the ordinarily mild-mannered minimalist Nicholson Baker.

Mr Baker's new novel, "Checkpoint," features two characters who spend much of its 115 pages discussing how to assassinate President (sic: Dictator) George Bush. They don't actually do the deed, or even attempt it, but the book is - according to early snippets - replete with deep-seated anger and elegantly nasty epithets hurled at both the President (sic) and his cabinet.

<snip>

Lori Price
http://www.legitgov.org/

[Dover]

1. In other words, just normal dinner conversation in most American homes

these days. A favorite topic no doubt.

[rocketdem]

2. Treason.

It's a good thing that Mr. Baker is an established literary figure. If he was just some schmuck off the street with such a manuscript, he'd been stowed away in the bowels of a military prison, labeled as a terrorist intent on committing highest treason, and never, ever heard from again. Zip, down the memory hole he'd go, all of him.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. I think this book will do our side no good...

and I regret Mr. Baker chose to write it.

[Fleshdancer]

4. This crosses way over the line

I don't like Bush and I'll do whatever I can to make sure he doesn't get chosen again, but come the hell on...discussing ways to assassinate him??? I for one am not interested. Lord only knows how many freepers wrote about assassinating Clinton back in the day, but that doesn't make it right for someone to do it to Bush...much less while selling the concept in a damn novel.

[Susang]

5. What's crossing the line

Is judging a work of fiction before you've even read a word of it. That seems irresponsible to me.

I've read all of Baker's work so far, and there's no reason to think that this novella, which hasn't even been published yet as far as I can discover, would be anything but an intricate and layered work.

[wackywill]

6. Line there's a line?

One word..........FREEDOM !

[Solly Mack]

7. Can't wait to read it!