Cracking the Code

Those of you who have read the Preface to my Book of the Week column (which should be all of you) are familiar with one of my basic rules: I do not review books I do not like, as the purpose of my column is to recommend and discuss books I think have value rather than belittle books I think have none.

This week I break this rule in a giant-sized article at Hill-TV.

You may have heard of the book up for review this week: it's called The Da Vinci Code. I expect my review to spark much comment and discussion and for that reason have included my email and links to the forum. Make no mistake: I think this book is a colossal bucket of suck.

Why Hill-TV? Because I owe them an article, and because they're cool. And because Dr. Murk is much easier to work for than The Generalissimo ever was, so all y'all who want to contribute should go right ahead. Thanks to chAng and Ben Byrd and anyone else I missed who has contributed lately.

Next week The Angry Piper's Book of the Week returns to its regular format with one of my favorite books of all time. Meanwhile, check this out (warning: nudity). That Dr. Murk is one hell of a ladies' man. I'm thinking about asking Beth, Dog's wife, to do the same for Angrypiper.com; then my ad could be seen from orbit.

Not surprisingly, I'm still in need of friends. Despite the fact that I hate Myspace, I find it irksome that Malach has way more friends than me. Between the two of us, I think we all know who's the Fonz and who's Ralph Malph. Vote Fonzie. (Fonzie is me.)

I'm currently reading Demonology, by Rick Moody. Moody is a writer whose skill with language I truly covet. Eve: you're gonna want to read this one, too.

Cartoon Network's Justice League Season One came out on DVD, and I just got paid. At this point, what I do next should surprise no one.

PS: The inspiration for the title of this post has nothing to do with Da Vinci and everything to do with The Angry Veteran, who cracks codes for fun. We assume he learned in the military, but everything he did there was top secret and he never talks about it. Some say he never left...

Gotta go. Some guys in suits and dark glasses are knocking on my door.