Opening a book should be like opening a really good birthday present: Part of the fun is the surprise of getting something truly special. In the summer of 2001, Doubleday will publish seven surprising novels, each wonderful in its own way, each excerpted here.

One is an epic comic masterpiece, another a stylistic tour de force. A third brilliantly mixes love, journalism, pop culture and quantum physics. There's a hilariously transgressive satire and an ardent tale of love and redemption. Another is cunning, controversial and commercial. Finally, there is a work that captures the rough but lyrical poetry of the streets. What they share is a vitality of expression, an irreverence for convention, and a brash authenticity.

Enjoy.

Sincerely,

Bill Thomas
Editor in Chief
Doubleday