I'm currently reading Tim O'Brien's latest novel America Fantastica. In it, he has a great line that jumps out - he is quoting a fictional senator's aide who states, "Gunfire is the dance music of American liberty."  I would not be surprised if there are many phrases like this passed down through America's wonderous love affair with guns and violence, but it struck me.

O'Brien has been one of my favorite writers for some time and this novel (at least early on) is one I really don't know how to describe - it's like a man, beaten down by life but still seeking enthusiasm in life, decides to rob a bank and go from there in an almost gonzo-like fashion.  I'm just glad to get another book by him because, according to him, this may be his last book.

I don't know how many are familiar with Tim O'Brien, but back in 1990, he published a semi-autobiographical short story collection of soldiers in the Vietnam War and of the things they carried that many herald as one of the finest books on that war.  If one has not read it, I strongly suggest giving it a try.