Melville House Books

Among the celebrities politicking for the presidential candidates, some prominent literary types have started showing up on the campaign trail, too. In yesterday’s Reliable Source column in the Washington Post, Richard Leiby writes briefly that an appearance on behalf of John Kerry by John Grisham “helped push donations to an ‘incredible,’ near six-figure sum,” according to the organizer. Meanwhile, Random House executive editor Daniel Menaker writes in this report for Slate about his trip to Ohio to “start whatever it is I’m going to do with regard to voter enablement” as a volunteer for ACT (America Coming Together). However, “I am not a felon,” he writes. “I say this because back in June USA Today revealed that ACT had hired convicted felons to canvas in Missouri—sex offenders, burglars, etc.”

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.