McSweeeney’s was in town Saturday night at Criminal Records/Aurora Coffee. Due to the early start time (7PM), we made a game day decision to pass on a babysitter and make it a family night. Did we exercise our best judgment?

The evening got off to a late start, but my daughter (soon to be four) regaled those around us with feats of bagel eating and knock knock jokes. Sample fare:

Lil’ Got Books: Knock Knock

Innocent bystander: Whose there?

Lil’ Got Books: Tumbleweed! Haaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaa!

Innocent bystander: ???

Lil’ Got Books: Underwear!

McSweeeney’s Publisher Eli Horowitz got the official program started with a teenage sideshow artist. His act was comprised of swallowing various swords/a screwdriver, getting his tongue stuck in a mousetrap, and other shenanigans that are sure to get us called into the pre-school office this morning.

Don’t try this at home kids. And stay in school.

Lil’ Got Books did not try to swallow anything all day Sunday, so maybe we’ve dodged a bullet. Next up on the program was Atlanta’s Jamie Allen. Allen is the publisher of the locally-based literary mag, The Duck and Herring Co. He read from two pieces that have been published on the McSweeney’s web site (this one and this one) and some unhinged e-mail that he has received in response. The pieces featured some R-rated language, so I was glad that Lil’ Got Books had chosen this point in the evening to bring Mrs. Got Books over to the record store side to dance.

Eli Horowitz came back out to introduce John Brandon, author of the latest novel from McSweeny’s, Arkansas. Horowitz offered a money back guarantee on the novel: if you buy it and don’t like, mail it back in for a full refund. He did point out that the car on the cover has two tones of gold foil that are probably worth at least $7 though - way more than is in a bottle of Goldschläger.

Eli Horowitz introduces John Brandon’s Arkansas.

At this point my phone began to buzz in my pocket. Lil’ Got Books was reaching criticality next door at Criminal, and it was time to head out with a quickness. It happens. I didn’t get to hear more than the opening sentence of Brandon’s reading, and I completely missed Davy Rothbart from Found Magazine’s bit of the program.

I didn’t feel too badly about ducking out. The place was packed wall-to-wall and had even drawn in some of the crowd that was roasting hot dogs over a barrel fire out front. (I don’t know what that was about either. Little Five Points plays by its own rules.)

From my limited perspective, the evening seemed to be a smashing success. Hopefully the McSweeney’s gang will roll through town again soon. And we’ll get a babysitter.