By the book

Oops - delay in publishing caused by failure to press the right button!

I've decided to rate bookshops by how they classify Garrison Keillor. Borders here has his books under 'Humor', which really doesn't do his writing justice. Of course his books are funny, but much more besides. Independent bookshops rightly (to my mind) shelve him with 'Literature'.

In a branch of another big chain bookstore, Barnes and Noble, I found him today in the 'Fiction & Literature' section (well it's true, there's a distinction) - but they only had a solitary copy of one of his many books and none at all of his latest, 'Pontoon', which is the one I wanted, so I wasn't that impressed.

So I double checked and looked in 'Humor' too, (nothing doing) and found myself picking up a book I'd been meaning to look at called 'The Year of Living Biblically' by A.J.Jacobs. I'd heard the author interviewed a few weeks ago on the radio and it sounded like a good read. Secular Jewish journalist devotes twelve months to taking the Bible literally, right down to the laws on beard-growing and not wearing mixed fibres. I bought it and have read the first chapter. It's entertainingly written, definitely humorous - but it also touches on a load of interesting issues, making me wonder if this book hasn't been misclassified too.

Your comments on Garrison Keillor (perhaps you loathe him?) or any other topic are, as always, welcomed...