Exhibit 8.20

I've got to be honest, I'd be a little upset if every one's favorite book was Atlas Shrugged but I can deal with the Bible. It's not that it's a good answer--it's probably the opposite--but it's just not surprising that a majority of people would come up with this answer when asked apropos of nothing by a stranger on the telephone.

I guess a poll like this is taken and published in order to create a certain amount of outrage over the country's shamefully lousy reading habits and narrow worldview, but I can't get worked up over people falling back on the easy answer to a question like this. Anyone who has ever asked a classroom of students for their favorite book or movie knows the blank stares and posturing answers that get thrown out. About half will say the most recent thing they experienced ("...my favorite movie is Superhero Movie"), a quarter will answer something that someone else answers only without conviction ("...um, I also liked Superhero Movie okay"), and the rest will answer with varying degrees of honesty with one or two having actually spent a great portion of their lives thinking about the answer to this question ("Star Wars.")

Picking a favorite anything is hard, and most people are far better than the rash, sentimental answers they are forced to give. That there is no consensus choice for number two is a good thing. It's seems preferable to have a country without consensus on the issue than a country where everyone universally loves The Lime Twig. Well, maybe.