owen meany: a tiny jesus
September 24, 2005, 7:46 pm

It was as if UGLY STEREOTYPE day had descended upon Washington, D.C. The two signs at the top of the Smithsonian Metro stop divided us as "National Book Festival" and "March Attendees", but honestly, it might as well have read "Middle-Aged-Librarians-With-Large-Asses" and "Goddamn-Hippies-With-Placards". While I'm sure the protest was a worthwhile endeavor, I have to say that there might be a tiny solace in the fact that Bush will be our President for a few more years if only for the continued existence of the National Book Festival. I'm telling you, if you've never been (and until today, I hadn't), and if you've ever read a book or written anything, you must attend.

I had my picture taken with Leeza Gibbons, and had Meg Cabot sign a book for one of my ninth graders. I met John Irving, who, on my insistence, signed my book "To Jessica--Owen Meany is a tiny Jesus."

Awesome.