In the books section this week, I write about idolizing the most realistic super-hero I’ve ever encountered:

…like me, Herbie had a heroic side his parents couldn’t see. Frankenstein’s monster feared him. Movie stars wanted to be him, and mermaids and other beautiful women thought he was dreamy, in part for his marvelous flamenco-dancing skills. Leaders like John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill sought him out for counsel and assistance. George Washington was a fan. With his wit and skills, Herbie made fools out of enemies of America like Chairman Mao, Fidel Castro, and even Satan. He traveled through time in a grandfather clock and battled evil cowboys and giant mutated ants. And if a bulldog bit Herbie on the ass, he’d bite that bulldog’s ass right back.

Read the whole thing, won’t you please?