IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING AMERICAN PASTORAL

This proposal is submitted for the approval of The New Midnight Society:

Hello devoted readers. It is I, self-appointed President Todd. Good to see you too. Please, no, stop. That’s embarrassing. Stop the chanting. I know my name. Thank you. Thank you. Really, you’re too much. Well okay, a little more. It’s me, it’s me, its E.C.T. Alright, good, calm down. I have some important shit to say. Okay. Book club members, I sense we have reached an impasse with our current selection, the impressive 7th of our time together, and action must be taken. Unlike some other world leaders throughout history, I choose to act swiftly. Not as swiftly as some of you might like, I understand, but I choose to think things through thoroughly (alliteration, mother fuckers) before making a decision. But a decision I have made. Oh yes, a decision I have made. Let me start by saying the following. Do I think this is a bad book? Hell no. Do I think it is time to cut our losses and move on? Well hell yeah! My fear is that BookDust is no longer just a great tag team, but it is also an apt descriptor of the substance found on our copies of American Pastoral. The book’s selector, Member A. Todd has finished the book, I intend to do the same, and I trust we would all like to. But it just may not be in the cards. I propose we move on and follow this course of action. Everyone, whether you read a page, a chapter, half the book, or accidentally read a different book with a similar title and are too embarrassed to admit your mistake, should submit via email to me your thoughts. I don’t need to hear any excuses for why you didn’t read the book. Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. If you have no thoughts, simply state that. If you feel you are qualified to give a star rating, I strongly encourage you to do that. I would like to collect these responses in the next couple of weeks and I will promptly post them on this very forum. This will provide access to anyone who wants to read the thoughts of your fellow NMSers. After this has been done, I will put into motion some type of plan to make the next selection. If you have thoughts on this, such as going back to Member Finkler or doing something else, maybe you have a book in mind, whatever, then email me that too and I’ll take it under consideration. But for the time being, let’s close the book—so to speak—on American Pastoral. I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts and I look forward to our next selection and the revival of our traditional lively book chats. Thank you and may God bless The New Midnight Society.