wow - all of the book suggestions make for an excellent list. for now, the winner is nikki and "the birth of venus" since it was on display at the library, and i still have to work up my courage for science fiction... now, as requested by the lovely karen, here are things i like about my neighborhood: ...the houses are big, old, beautiful and cheap ...we have everyone - straight, gay, white, black, poor, rich, criminals, the chief of police ...we can walk to franklin park ...we can walk to the main library ...we could walk to the grocery store if we really wanted to ...our next door neighbors let us know if our car lights are on ...we are right next to bexley and right next to german village ...we have dozens of community gardens ...we have yards ...we have people who are invested in making it a more beautiful place to live ...it isn't completely gentrified yet, and keeps us in touch with the real world ...we have our own taco ninja ...all of our neighbors have dogs ...the first time i drove through this neighborhood when i moved here, it was the first time i felt like columbus could become home