Here's Sean Wilsey reviewing -- or attempting to review -- Service Included by Phoebe Damrosch in the New York Times book review.
Finally, leaving, Eve puts her hand on Damrosch�s arm, leans close, says, �Don�t be shocked,� and tells her that �apparently the new thing� � actually, this won�t be making it into a family newspaper. But I will say that it is a sexual practice, that it involves a kitchen appliance, and that Caligula himself would have demurred.
I love that the self-image of the "family newspaper" endures in an era when everyone under 25 gets their news from the Daily Show and MySpace. I also love that notions of civility prevent the Times from publishing whatever particular words are missing from that scene, and yet it's perfectly OK to cause an 11-year-old to imagine a kitchen appliance sexual practice, even if what they imagine is likely to be far more obscene than whatever's in this book.
Of course, Wilsey could have written a fine review simply by omitting this this scene. I suspect that had he been allowed to actually quote it, he wouldn't have. The appeal is in attempting a clever workaround.
The book is not searchable on Amazon. Does anyone know what the "new thing" is? Or have a guess?
Update. Commenter Lemon has the answer. While sufficiently disgusting, it's somewhat misleading to say it "involves a kitchen appliance."
