BARTHOMANIA

Perhaps the ultimate sign of success as a postmodern novelist is a Washington, D.C.-based fan club devoted to tongue-in-cheek but heartfelt enjoyment of its “Esteemed Object.” Members of the Society for the Celebration of Barthomania, formed in 1969, came from the ranks of several government agencies where they felt overly routinized; monthly meetings to discuss Barth’s books served as an outlet for creativity and high-jinks. Accordingly, the Barthomaniacs concocted a system of admission to and advancement through the Society, wrote letters to politicians and literary critics, distributed newsletters, sold bumper stickers, and even made an R-rated board-game.