(np) once you get past Jackie Gleason barfing...

[Michael]

Yeah whatever, I guess it was a real famous homer and all but I think the book gets a lot better as you go, although admittedly it's building on that and it is evocative as heck

What's-her-name's rooftop summer eg I get more of a kick out of and old Marvin searching for the right word

I liked the account of that game on Sports Night also

As for betters, pshaw - comparisons are odious, some of the trace elements missing in others are here, true, but iirc the author was inspired to write in the first place by you know whom!