Amendment

Well, I feel I gave a somewhat cold acknowledgement of Christopher Buckley in my last post, but I need to change that after finishing "Little Green Men." I know what you're thinking: William F. Buckley's son? Okay, whatever. But the truth is, this isn't William F. Buckley. It's his offspring, and whatever you might feel for William F. (I myself feel almost nothing, since I hold politics in the same esteem I hold celebrity gossip -- boring), don't let it color your impression of Christopher. I have to say that he is now among my favorite laugh-out-loud authors, including Christopher Moore and Kinky Friedman.

First of all, "Little Green Men" is a story about a very prominent Washington pundit, John O. Banion, who is abducted by aliens. As those of you who have read my own fiction might know, I've got a little obsession with aliens. Not that I believe in abductions or am a conspiracy theorist or anything. I am obsessed with aliens because of the fiction they inspire. And this is great alien fiction on par with Futurama and Star Trek. Only it's a book, and it's hilarious. My favorite part of the book is when Banion almost has sex, because it's funny, tender, and uncomfortably familiar, even to me, a beautiful woman. This novel is astonishingly warm-hearted compared to "Thank You for Smoking," and I think it appeals to a much wider, less Washington-canny readership. Everyone will enjoy this novel because it's so funny and also makes you feel pretty good about things you're not used to feeling good about, i.e. the intelligence of the American public and the potential for a single person to make a real change in their country.