You know, I keep hearing great things about "Heartbreaking Work..." but I keep resisting trying it because so many annoying hipsters that worship Colbert, Chomsky, Foer and Sedaris keep raving about the book. I just don't trust their opinions on entertainment. If you recommend it though, I guess I'll finally break down and try it.

It's a really beautiful book and the fact that it's non-fiction only makes it more so.

Oh, but I should say, I love Foer's "Extremely loud..."

I LOVED a Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Truly, outside of the Fountainhead and Siddhartha, one of my favorite favorite books.

Thanks for telling us about the store. I used my last can of Bat Anti-Laughing Gas Spray a few weeks ago and couldn't, for the life of me, find any place that still sold it.

Wow Toby...High praise indeed, considering I love Ayn Rand and Herman Hesse. Between you and Karol, I indeed have to check this book out now. I know he puts together McSweeney's, which I like more for it's design innovations than its actual writing.

I thought HWSG started much stronger than it finished. And if you like the Superhero Supply Store, you might also like the Pirate supply store which isn't actually as neat, but is still pretty neat.

Regardless of your affiliation with hipsterdom, do patronize the store. All proceeds are used to fund the tutoring center for local kids in the back of the stoor (behind the hidden book case).

OK, that's totally on the must-visit list next time I'm in NY.

Delbrians, really? There's a tutoring center in the store? That's awesome.

Eh, not really. It can't hold a candle to the Charles Xavier School for the Gifted. ;)

I lived on the same block for a while. There really is a secret book case that opens up (think Scooby Doo) and leads to a huge classroom. All proceeds go to help local kids learn math and reading.

Charles is right, it sort of drags at the end. But, it is just so damn good at the beginning.. .and good throughout.. that it still ranks high.