Posted on 07/15/2004 2:30:01 PM PDT by Mississippi Individual
Alfred A. Knopf Publishing House (a subsidiary of Random House) has recently published a book entitled Checkpoint by Nicholson Baker. This book tells the story of two high school friends discussing the explicit details of numerous possible assasination plots against the President, not just some fictional President, but our serving President George Walker Bush.
In this book, two high school friends discuss numerous potential plans to actually murder President Bush, among them saws, boulders, and the standard bullets.
The premise is forgiving though. After expressing his outrage over Iraq, the main character concludes, "I'm going to kill that bastard."
Although amazon.com has no description for the book (smart move), Knopf’s web site offers the book as the two friends “chat about everything from Ben’s new camera to Iraq to the unfortunate fate of a particular free-range chicken.”
Oh yeah, and…
”…Jay will explain to Ben exactly why and how he is planning to commit a murder that will change the course of history.”
When you click a little deeper in, though, you realize that the intentions of the author are not so benign and, in fact, stem from unchecked, disturbed hatred of Bush:
A Note from the Publisher
Checkpoint is a work of fiction by acclaimed author Nicholson Baker, a novella that explores the peculiar angst many Americans are feeling right now about their country and their president. The book is set up as a conversation between two old high school buddies. One of them, in despair about the direction the country is going, is convinced he must kill the president; the other tries to talk him out of it.
Baker wrote Checkpoint in response to the powerless seething fury many Americans felt when President Bush decided to take the nation to war. “How do you react to something that you think is so hideously wrong?” asks Baker. “How do you keep it from driving you nuts? What do you do with your life while this wrong is being carried out? What are the thoughts—the secret thoughts, the unpublishable thoughts, so to speak—that go through your head?”
One of Knopf’s most recent publishing successes was none other than My Life by Bill Clinton. What a coincidence.
Stewart
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/davis200407150818.asp
http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=1-4000-4400-6#desc
http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=1400044006&view=authdesk
Turner Diaries come to mind.
It will be impossible for this thread to progress without someone mentioning abortion in the first ten replies.
The article in NRO was great.
Is that "Note from the Publisher" genuine, or a spoof?
Good God, that is sick. Could you imagine the media outrage had someone written this book about Clinton?
*sigh* I am just expressing my ennui at the everpresent issue of abortion here.
We could be talking about doghouses, for pete's sake.
Baker wrote Checkpoint in response to the powerless seething fury many Americans felt when President Bush decided to take the nation to war.
“How do you react to something that you think is so hideously wrong?” asks Baker.
A: Support and vote for the Presidential Candidate, Senators, and House members who opposed the war. Ooops! Guess that means you'll be voting Nader!
“How do you keep it from driving you nuts?
A: Hug your wife, go to church, play with the kids, get a hobby.
What do you do with your life while this wrong is being carried out?
A: Go to work and be productive on something useful, unlike this book. By virtue of following my first answer, you will have done most everything a citizen of your persuasion can and should do.
What are the thoughts—the secret thoughts, the unpublishable thoughts, so to speak—that go through your head?”
A: Well, you sir, seem to like thinking about assassination. It is wise for you to seek psychiatric assistance before proceeding further.
If they can just cease groping each other for a moment, those precious Democrat newlyweds Kerry and Edwards should be asked to comment whether, in the present highly polarized political climate, the publication of this book warrants prosecution for uttering threats against the President. After all, I seem to recall a woman in Chicago being harrassed and arrested for uttering nothing more than the words, "You suck" to a cowardly piece of pustulant Arkie white trash who was then occupying our highest office.
Now we know why the Dims are so adamant about amending the Patriot Act to prevent law enforcement from seeing what books people check out of libraries.
Or .. why not a conversation on how to get rid of the Clintons ..?? I dare say this idiot would not think such a book was "art".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.