Mountain Man Dance Moves: The McSweeney’s Book of Lists
Reviewed by Cathy Belben
September 2007

When, if ever, is a list literature? Although the editors of Found (www.found.com) might argue with me, I believe it’s a rare list that qualifies as entertaining, intelligent, engaging, thought-provoking, and original. Unless finding Grandma’s grocery list for corn niblets, a new plastic hair bonnet, and kitty litter meets these criteria for you, it’s unlikely that you’ll find many memorable lists.

Enter McSweeney’s (www.mcsweeneys.com). The site maintains a regular feature (open to submissions, see website for details) consisting of lists that do meet high standards—they’re funny, unique, smart and sassy reflections on history and pop culture. After all, isn’t it about time someone confronted Charlie Daniels, as John Moe does, in “Thirty-Nine Questions for Charlie Daniels Upon Hearing ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ for the First Time in Twenty-Five Years”?

Checking in with the online compilation of lists is sufficient to keep up with the cultural zeitgeist as captured in lists, but to truly appreciate the form and its humor and insight, its imperative to read the collected works as they appear in Mountain Man Dance Moves. You might be confused (“The Week Ahead: Five-Word Verification Strings to Watch For”) or skeptical (“Notable Bands of 2005”) about some of the entries, but you’ll assuredly be entertained by at least one.

McSweeney’s Mountain Man selections offer creative and (and occasionally bewildering) ideas about practicing expression through precision and meticulous word choice. As a left-brained list-making, alphabetizer, I’m delighted to see the form exalted by McSweeney’s, and I think other writers will be too.