Author Reaches FaceBook Milestone

Terry Cloth/Disassociated Press

Tom Lombardi, author of the novel, MY SUMMER ON EARTH, accepted his 700th friend yesterday on Facebook. Lombardi, overjoyed with enthusiasm, said he feels "less lonelier than when I only, like, had 699 friends." The 700th friend, Al Gurithm of Saufcok, Wyoming, was unavailable for comment. (Tom Lombardi's web site)

'Yo What Up, Son?'

Dick Cheney's young adult novel, "Yo What Up, Son?", narrated in the voice of a 15-year-old black teenager from South Central, Los Angeles, is a little disingenuous, to say the least.

'Buy My Novel, Goddamnit!'

Joyce Carol Oate's 245th novel is at turns unflinchingly and brutally honest, written in a voice at once comic and tragic.

• Excerpts From ‘Buy My Novel, Goddamnit!’

J.K. Rowling Throws D's on her Cadillac

International bestselling author and richest woman in England, J.K. Rowling announced to the press yesterday that she "just bought a Cadillac." When a BBC reporter suggested she "throw some D's on that bitch," Rowling replied, "I'm way ahead of you, shawty."

Memoirist Dies During Writing of Memoir

Arthur Aightus had 6 chapters left to write on his memoir, "The History of My Past" when he was struck by lightning last week as the soon-to-be author took a break from his writing, he told his wife, "to clear my thoughts." His editor, Bailey Byrne at Random House, was unsure as to how they will complete the manuscript. "Too bad," Byrne said yesterday from his mid-town office, "he can't write from the grave. I'm sure he'd render those last moments with his signature somber and humorous prose."

• Times Topics: Past Articles and Information About Arthur Aightus

'The M.F.A. Professor'

This rather uneven but nevertheless gripping debut novel by 22-year-old author, Al Chayda, follows the story of Creative Writing professor, Sal Vayeschun, a lecherous alcoholic who blatantly ignores office hours, inflates grades, and exploits precious workshop time to openly hit on female students . . . until one winter morning he awakens to have found himself transformed into a gigantic, line-edited manuscript.

'Why Kerouac Slept With Trannies'

Many readers miss the real themes of “On the Road.” "Let's face it," writes Ms. Way, "'On The Road' was a blatant metaphor for Kerouac's love of lady-boy cock."

'Poems From Guantánamo: The Detainees Reek'

A collection of (Pentagon-approved) poetry from detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

'Fuck You . . . Tube'

According to a recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control, excessive YouTube watching causes breast, colon, cock, and vaginal cancer. And yet, we still love it. Why?

'The Prince of Columns'

The columnist Robert Novak describes his career and his yellow face.

'Farts, and What They Mean'

How flatus expelled through the anus provides a window into our mental activity.

• First Chapter