My favorite quote from last night's reading at Annie Blooms Books (after the reading, while I was signing, a woman responded to my having told the folks there that I was currently writing a novel):The Great American Novel Philip Rothlinks §amazon §alibris">https://www.alibris.com/search/detail.cfm%253FS%253DR%2526isbn%253D0679749063">alibris §booksense §google §powells I think it's a shame you're writing a novel. This is so lovely. And the last thing we need is another 'Great American Novel.'Well then. I guess I'll just pack it in.Though seriously, she has a point, I suppose. How many thousands of novels are published every year, and how many of them are worth their weight in pulp?Maybe more than I know. Maybe less than I know. I've had trouble reading novels recently, so I suppose I should keep my mouth off this straw. But I can't help myself. Or maybe you can help me.Does the earth need another great american novel? Is there such a thing?What's your Big Book Beef? Do you have one? That is, what kinds of books make you say, “honestly, the last thing we need is another XYZ”?Personally, I like the XYZ. It's my favorite literary form. And I just made it up. And you are to pronounce it this way: “Ziz.” As in the phrase “Zizzle Zazzle Zuz.”I don't know what the XYZ (or Xyz) will be yet, exactly. But I'll get back to you.Blessings.Tags: book | gan | greatamericannovel | literary | portland | AnnieBlooms | reading | Xyz. [...]