VOTE FOR LARRY

The improbable presidential candidate in this satirical novel is Josh, a teen Internet guru (who used Larry as his nom de plume) returning to the scene after years in hiding. His offbeat, radical third-party campaign energizes young voters across the country and might bend the rules enough to put him in the White House. An 18-year-old's candidacy is obviously a fantasy at the national level, but the short, breezy novel is well-researched and sometimes perceptive. Maybe some politically minded listener will put Josh's tactics to work on a local campaign. Jesse Eisenberg is 20, no longer a teen, but is believable as the angst-ridden young candidate. Some jokes reflect the current scene, but the story line will likely hold up over time. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]