Matters literary...

I recently read about one of the most fascinating writers of our time, John Hodgman. He is totally irreverant, with a keen dry sense of humor...he reminds me a little of David Sedaris, Sara Vowel and David Rackoff combined, but much more nerdy...sexy too, but definitely nerdy... he's a former professional literary agent who lives in New York City, where he curates and hosts The Little Gray Book Lectures. He is a contributing writer at the New York Times Mag and a well known voice on public radio's This American Life. His fiction, non-fiction, and genres in-between have appeared in The Paris Review, McSweeney's, and The Believer. He's just released a new book called, The Areas of My Expertise.
Here's just a glimpse into his thoughts on the book...
Everything you need to know about my book is contained within its title: THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE. That is actually the shorthand title. The full title is:
"An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled With Instructive Annotation and Appranged in Useful Order by Me, JOHN HODGMAN, a professional writer, in THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE, Which Areas Include Matters Historical, Matters Literary, Matters Cryptozoological, Hobo Matters, Food, Drink, and Cheese (a Kind of Food), Squirrels & Lobsters & Eels, Haircuts, Utopia, What Will happen in the Future, and Most Other Subjects."
Which is to say that it is a handy desk reference and book of interesting trivia in the tradition of THE BOOK OF LISTS or THE PEOPLE'S ALMANAC, with the distinction that in MY book, all of the historical oddities and amazing true facts contained within it are entirely MADE UP, by me. This, paradoxically, allows it to be more
true. There are of course many fake reference books that precede and overshadow mine, whether we speak of THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY, Borges's BOOK OF IMAGINARY BEINGS, or that other uncredited work of Borges, the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons MONSTER MANUAL. Indeed, many of the tallest tales surrounding Davy Crockett were circulated in the 19th century by the very popular and sometimes crude "Crockett's Almanacs," so there is a long history of the misinforming impulse within the form itself.
What these books lack, I suppose, are my own personal limitations and my own personal
and unhealthy focus on hoboes. Hoboes are that mysterious wandering people who once traveled our land by boxcar, singing strange songs and marking up every town with their cryptic little chalk symbols. There are, of course, still those who take on the train-hopping lifestyle and crusty pants of the hobo, but they are emulators and nostalgics--what we call, in the hobo observation business, "faux-boes." You can read more about this in my book, the title of which may be found above.
My thoughts on being a published writer: It is, of course, far more civilized to work IN publishing rather than being subjected to it. To become a writer is to become a beast of constant desperation: for funds and for attention and for readers. I think it is better suited to one less naturally anxious than I. I am so excited, happy, nervous, self-loathing, and proud that I just fell down again stunned. This time, I shall not get up again. Thank you.

That is all.