Online personals as literature?

Yes, it's hard to believe, but someone has actually published a book filled with nothing but online personal ads.

"Eclairs & Bandsaws: The 115 best-written online personals as love stories," published in July, professes to offer some creative jems from tens of thousands of ads on dozens of dating sites.

The publisher, American Literary Press, descibes the book as "a poignant portryal of humanity in all its hopes and frailties." After reviewing a fair number of the selections, I have to disagree. There as many ho-hum entries as inspired ones.

But I did enjoy #108, which was written by a woman in Oakland, Calif., and inspired the title. Here's part of it:

"Someone who likes eclairs and band saws. A personality? A slightly twisted sense of humor? One leg that can't stop dancing? A couple of cerebral tendencies and a bunch of creative ones? You have a life you feel is mostly good, and love, and interests and wine, and knowledge to share. You'll laugh at me and you'll send electricity through me even when you're not there."

It looks like the author's working on a second volume, and he's soliciting entries.