On the heels of David N. Scott’s recent comment that he “should read more books of real quality”, I’m  throwing out a title for David’s intellectual appetite and perhaps for group discussion.

The title in question, one of my favorite novels of all time, is Nathanel West’s comedy with tragic implications, Miss Lonelyhearts. A novella, actually, Lonelyhearts runs a sparse 128 pages but reads like an acerbic, caustic lightning bolt and can be devoured in one sitting — but the impact will stay with you for a lifetime.

Published in 1933, West’s protagnist is a nameless newspaper advice columnist who cracks under the strain of the heartbreak he reads in his daily mail, ultimately succumbing to a fall that all faithless people eventually make.

Aside from David Scott, anyone interested in opting in for the read can buy Miss Lonelyhearts in paperback here for a mere $10.36 . And then we can all meet up here, say, early May for discussion.