I just overheard some guys talking about a book, The Da Vinci Code. One of them, who is extremely notorious for making large blanket statements concerning the intellectual inferiority of the people surrounding him, was saying its just not possible for "smart people" to like that book, its nothing if you've read Foucault's Pendelum, Blah Blah Blah. Yes, many English lit people think its an atrocious book, bestseller trash, bad writing, shows a poor understanding of the Knight's Templar, etc. etc. etc. (I think they mostly regurgitate book reviews they've read rather than formulating an original stance)

But last night, another English lit student was telling me about how his mother, who is Catholic was affected by that book. She looked at it, touched it.

"Its a book, mother," he said.

"I'm intrigued," she said.

"Its okay. Its not going to bite you."

"Well I don't know," she said.

"Whats wrong with it?"

"Its banned by the church," she said.

But after some hesistation, she went ahead and read it. Afterwards she went church. Her family teased her. "Did you go to confession?"

"No, I just thought it would be enough to pray," she said.

I'd like to see how often that happens with Foucaults Pendelum.

Which is really not the point, the point is, I'm more of a women's studies girl than a good ol' boy who constantly likes to police what is and is not smart or intellectual reading. I like hearing about the housewife who gets her viewpoint challenged. She interests me more.