I finished a surprisingly good novel today: It's Superman. The book takes as its premise the hero's original appearances in the late 1930s as a champion of the oppressed without the expanded powers and complex mythology that grew around the figure in the decades that followed. The novel reworks the backstories of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor with a hefy dose of gritty realism. Tom De Haven clearly did his homework in capturing the feel of New York City and the midwest in the middle of the Great Depression. (Maybe he did a little too much research, as at times his frequent allusions to historical events and contemporary films and music as well as popular consumer products of the day was a little excessive. No need to show off so much!) An enjoyable read.