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Here’s the list of unclaimed books. Since their original winners didn’t pick them up, we’re giving them away again—to readers who posted in Wanted: Correspondents (That’s jara, freelancerautumn, sharrytenn, Edrie, franzi j, 8opinionated banana, celinus, ddperez, djdon). Pick the book you want, and post your choice in Comments. If your comment is approved, it means the book is yours. If someone beat you to it, just choose another title.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Generation of Swine by Hunter S. Thompson
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Because the Night by James Ellroy
Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Sun Dogs by Robert Olen Butler
Pronto by Elmore Leonard
Freaky Deaky by Elmore Leonard
Bandits by Elmore Leonard
Mr. Majestyk by Elmore Leonard
Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard
Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard

You have one month to claim your book at Anvil. Enjoy.

Book wrapping demo 4, originally uploaded by Koosama.

Do you cover your books in plastic?

I used to, until I noticed that the humidity causes the plastic to stick to the book covers. (In photo: Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin demonstrates his book-wrapping kung fu as Nestor and Danton watch. Those are Danton’s clasped hands in the photo. The hands are so gay.)

I’m posting the list of unclaimed books shortly. If you sent in your account of the Feb 29 rally, choose the book you want and post your choice in the comments section. If you got first dibs, the book is yours. You have one month to claim your book, during office hours at Anvil Publishing, 8007B Pioneer St. Mandaluyong, near Shaw Boulevard. Look for Jo.

Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, died last week. Adam Rogers discusses Gygax’s role in the forging of the digital age.  Meanwhile, gamers pay tribute with 25 Euphemisms for the Death of Gary Gygax. #3 Failed his save vs. death magic. #21 Drew the Void.

Whenever my sister and I did the groceries at Rustan’s in Ayala Center, we would drop by the Yum-Yum Tree coffee shop by the entrance. Our favorite was the pinakbet. It was by no means traditional or authentic—more like bagnet with sauteéd vegetables—but it was comforting and familiar.

The other day Chus and I went to Yum-Yum Tree after seeing 10,000 BC (It’s idiotic, but quite fun. It’s. . .it’s. . .Rapa Nui!). Yum-Yum Tree was gone. In its place was something called Le Gourmet. Wine, cheese, cold cuts, not really the sort of place you duck into while lugging four bags of groceries. The waiter noted our distress and said some of the dishes in the old Yum-Yum Tree menu are now available at Bon Appetit. So we ate upstairs, and the food tasted the same, but I miss my childhood.

The other supermarket coffee shop of my childhood was the one in the old Makati Supermart. They served the famous sweet spaghetti, staple of children’s parties (Mention it to Italians and they get apoplexy). The old Makati Supermarket is gone, but the sweet spaghetti is still served in the coffee shop of Unimart in Greenhills. Unimart is caught in a time-warp: It looks exactly the way it did in the 70s, minus the comic books.

If the simplest explanation is probably the correct one (Except in the Philippines, where as Butch points out the most bizarre explanation is probably right), then the reason for—or at least a major factor in—Roger Federer’s two losses this year is mononucleosis.

With The Fed temporarily incapacitated, who will seize the moment: Nadal or Djokovic? Neither. The beneficiary of Roger’s absence is Andy Roddick, who beat them both en route to the Dubai final. Roddick’s game has serious flaws (human backboard), but he has the grace to acknowledge them. After beating Djokovic he said that sometimes he can play tennis and not just serve. Good work, Andy. And who ultimately benefits from the resurgence of Roddick? The Fed.

Interesting choices. Next question: How do you pick the books you read? Do you rely on book critics, friends’ recommendations, or bestseller lists? Do you lurk in bookstores and skim through the books? Do you read the first page and decide if you want to continue? If a book has been adapted for film, are you more likely to read it?

If I really like a particular author, I try to read all their books (Hardy, Wharton, Waugh, Greene), although I no longer aspire to read everything by Philip K. Dick. And much as I love Tolkien, I cannot get through The Silmarillion. (You have to read The Lord of The Rings as early as possible, preferably before the age of 16. because after that your concentration goes.)

Speaking of film adaptations, I just learned that No Country For Old Men will open round the second week of April, but only in Greenbelt 3 and Glorietta 4. Will Atonement open on Holy Week because of its title? A lot of people seem to be reading the McEwan—here’s a review which notes how Atonement is a sort of survey of British literature. 

When you read a work of fiction, do you imagine it as a movie in your head? Do you play casting director? Who would play the lead roles in the film of the book you’re reading? My default casting is Christian Bale, who can play scrawny, buff, handsome, ugly, earnest, psychotic, amazing range.