you know you are reading a book that will be astounding when you get to page 9 and come across something like this... "If there were any poetry in Clarence, there would be a great river running through the town. The river would bisect Clarence perfectly; factory on one side, college on the other. Timecard punchers on one side, dentists on the other; American cars on one side, European on the other. If there were any poetry in Clarence, the river would divide the towns two worlds with a deft blue stroke manifesting the bifurcation in perpetual motion. If Clarence had poetry, there would at least be some good old railroad tracks to give the town its proverbial right and wrong side (which is which would be depending on your point of view, of course.) Clarence has no poetry, though. Clarence has Bargain Barrels, Krazy Savers, Dollar Hutz, and Pizza Domes. The division, then, must remain invisible. Theoretical. Philosophical. Literary. Like the international date line or the boundari...