George Saunders and the Dude Abide. And, You Should Really Think About Buying a Brand New Book.

From The New York Times Magazine: George Saunders Has Written the Best Book You'll Read This Year
  
     Man, what a great interview--both mind and heart clearly at work with this guy.

      I bought my very own, brand-spankin'-new hardcover copy yesterday. I very seldom buy hardcover books at full price; I have shelves full of browning and delightfully musty used books. Any pretty hardcovers were almost certainly gifts. 

     I also picked up a copy of Jeff Bridges's and Bernie Glassman's collaboration, The Dude and the Zen Master. (Okay, fine, Brent--you picked it up, but whatevs. I'm still gonna read it when you're finished.) Also glossy and new. And full price.

     All by way of saying: this is a big deal for me. We cracked open our knee-high Natty Light change bottle and went to Subterranean Books. (Side note: I tried earlier in the week to get my Saunders fix from Pudd'nhead Books in Webster Groves. What a bummer that was, walking up to their now vacant space on Big Bend . . .) We paid for the $58 tab almost entirely in one dollar bills. Thanks again to the gracious guy who waited patiently as we counted it out twice before forking it over. And yes, Brent's male stripping is going quite well, thank you very much for asking. Well enough to support our bibliophilia, anyway, which has to offset any moral qualms you may have. 

     So let that be a lesson to all of you, dear readers: take off your clothes, let people stick one dollar bills in whatever crack, crevice, or orifice available, and then use that money to go buy a brand new, glossy book that will help ease the pain of the humiliation of life. Or some uplifting shit like that.

The Dude: It's like what Lenin said... you look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh...
Donny: I am the walrus.  

     Words we can all live by.

--CQ