Roger L Simon (the real one, the guy with the hat, not the one who writes for Politico) has an interesting post on what a candidate should say is his favorite novel. Obviously my guy handled this one poorly, citing “Battlestar Gallactica” as his choice.

But what should a candidate do with this question? “Huck Finn” would at first glance be the safe choice, since it’s considered by most people who bother considering such things to be one of the two great American novels. But then you have that disturbing racial subtext. Better stay away.

The other great American novel is “Moby Dick.” The problem with citing “Moby Dick” is no one has read actually read it, which is too bad since it’s really good. But if you cite it as your favorite and some wiseacre reporter gives you a pop- quiz, you’ll wind up looking silly like Howard Dean when he couldn’t keep his Testaments straight. Besides, trying to kill whales is just so wrong, even if their blubber, when prepared right, is incredibly delicious.

You also don’t want to look pompous by choosing some foreign book. Oh sure, answering “The Brothers Karamazov” might knock ‘em dead in the Ivory Tower, but the rest of America will be left saying, “Brother who?”

SO WHAT TO CHOOSE? “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Grapes of Wrath” would be solid, safe choices. But everyone loves those books, so saying you love them won’t tell the public anything about you.

I say that as a candidate you need a work that personifies manly virtues like loyalty, fearlessness and a love of America. A book that shows a hunger for adventure and a clear line between right and wrong. A book that has as its heroes courageous men who, though flawed, made lives of bringing justice to an unjust world.

The choice is obvious: “Lonesome Dove,” a great book real people without Ivy League degrees have actually read.

PS – Leave your suggestions in the Comments.

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