Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham

Much like Cunningham's previous novel, The Hours this is actually three novellas that take place in different time periods: the industrial revolution, New York (just after the Sept. 11th attacks) and a futuristic society complete with aliens, spaceships, etc. Only this time (instead of Virginia Woolf) Walt Whitman is the thread that ties all three stories together. It was difficult to get into this novel, but it ended up being a pretty entertaining story - well written and inventive. Though it was not one of my favorites I know others who enjoyed it a great deal, so it's all in the eye of the reader, I guess. Favorite quote: "'I don't exactly know poetry, I contain it.'"