(Every so often, I take a new book with me to lunch and give it a half an hour or so to grab my attention. Lunch Date is my judgment on that speed-dating experience.)

Who's your date today? The Cat's Pajamas and Other Stories, by James Morrow.

Where'd you go? Oddfellows Cafe & Bar.

What'd you eat? The braised pulled pork sandwich ($8.)

How was the food? It was good—the crunchy purple slaw was especially nice—although it could've used something on the side. $8 is an awful lot for a pickle and a sandwich. I'll return for the salads, but until there are chips or something, I'm not ordering the sandwich again.

What does your date say about itself? "The rapier wit of James Morrow repeatedly finds its mark...Called "a provocative satiric voice" by the Washington Post, Morrow mercilessly targets religion, science, and politics, with rare perception and savage glee."

Is there a representative quote? Well, each of the stories are different, but try this:

"You came to the right place." Melvin ate a banana, depositing the peel in the dish antenna atop his head. "It's the most basic of Weltanschauung dichotomies. Here on Earth many philosophers would trace the problem back to all that bad blood between the Platonists and the Aristotelians—you know, idealism versus realism—but it's actually the sort of controversy you can have after a full-blown curiosity about nature has come on the scene."
"Do you speak of the classic schism between scientific materialists and those who champion presumed numinous realities?" I asked.
"Exactly," said Melvin.

Will you two end up in bed together? Yes! Yes! Yes! The above quote is from a story where humans try to end a fight between Martians by philosophically disproving the existence of God. Another story is about John Wayne trying to use quantum physics to cure his cancer. Morrow is one of my heroes—he uses sci-fi to address real questions of theology, philosophy, and humanity. I'm so excited to read all of this book.