This is awesome. Looking gor a good book to read? Want one that's kind of funny, but not too off-the-wall? How about a disturbing book with lots of sex? Here's how to find whatever it is you're going for. You set a bunch of critera with a bunch of little faders, then send it off to find a book. I just set the sliders on "happy, funny and disturbing" on just about full bore, and it returned this for me (among a few backup choices that also sounded pretty dang good):

Ella Minnow Pea
A monument to celebrate the pangram The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog has been erected on the island where it's creator, Nevin Nollop, was born. As time passes the letters, displayed on ceramic tiles, begin to tumble and the Island Council, to the dismay of the residents, sees this as a message from the grave and excludes the letters from all daily use. A very clever and funny, modern fable. Don't be put off by the quirky language - it's well worth the perseverance.

It's identified by a reader comment, which is cool. I checked amazon, and none of their reviews are that succinct (or even made me want to read the book, particularly.) If you live in the British Isles, you can even (apparently) look to see if the book if available for borrowing.

As if I didn't have enough to read already.

I've gotta say, I regularly disagree wholheartedly with pitchfork. As do most people who think and write and listen. I even once vowed to never read another one of their reviews because of something written there. My skin is thicker now, but still...never before have I read a review there and felt like their feelings had been hurt by the record they were reviewing. Until today.

In case you lack the drive to click on all of those review links, I'll tell you that they reviewed that Believer comp I was so excited about. And, frankly, despite any of its suckiness (there is some) I'm still excited about, just due to its concept and decent selection of artists. So, there, Pitchfork.

Is it bad to slightly revile an orginization that I'd gladly move to Chicago to work for? I don't think so.

Greg Nog
At first, I thought Greg Nog's username on the message board he and I frequent was very clever. And then, I realized that he was a cartoonist. Then, I realized his cartoons make me happy in a way very few internet cartoons have. Here's a link. Read them, espeically the "I Am a Host at Olive Garden" series and the "Captain Yaar" strips.

Buy his stuff. It's cheap. Gregnog.com