Melville House Books

Sarah Palin makes me want to do good.  At least, as a reaction to the fact that her existence and “popularity” make me fear for the future of our country.  Apparently many other people (phew!) feel the same way.

If there is one upside to the publication of Going Rogue, it is the instinct of lefty booksellers and websites to use the book for their own purposes.  Indie bookstores across the country (including those in Alaska!) are donating the proceeds from the sale of the book to various charities (including those that save Polar Bears, like the Alaska Wildlife Alliance – love Green Apple Books), doing what Palin can’t (or won’t) do herself.

Gawker has taken it up a notch.  At the after-party for the National Book Awards, Gawker writer Foster Kamer and photog Mo Pitz circulated their own copy of Going Rogue–collecting drunken signatures from the various hacks, flacks and nominees at the party.  The book is now for sale on E-Bay (you have 9 days left!) and all proceeds from the book go to Save the Children.

Among some of the gems in the first few pages of signatures are NBA Fiction winner Colum McCann, publicist extraordinaire Sloane Crosley, and my Freaks and Geeks crush and current MFA student James Franco. McCann, who Kamer had to wear down in order for him to associate himself with anything Palin-related, writes, “‘For we must love this poor earth, for we have not seen another…’ Go Obama!” Franco, who doesn’t seem to be proving his literary worth much these days, wrote a simple “Fuck Yeah!” and drew a picture.  How cute.

After only a couple hours, the bids are already up to $760! And of course, by the time this posts, will probably be much more.  Now it’s out of my price range, but I do celebrate all sorts of winter holidays so if anyone needs any gift ideas… remember, NONE of the proceeds go to Palin herself. Zip, zero, nada.  Doesn’t that make you feel warm inside?