Introducing (again) Dave Eggers

Once a poorly paid Salon editor, he left and climbed to mighty literary heights. Now he's back with a bitingly funny tale about the American political circus.

Each installment in Eggers' serial is listed below, and they are also all linked together, so you can click through the entire enfolding story.

The Unforbidden Is Compulsory
Or, Optimism

Episode 1 of Salon's new political serial.

Episode 2: The balloon battle heats up, and Bill Bennett enters the picture.

Episode 3: "Here we take over," said Sergei. "Here we end this thing. Here we win."

The Fishmonger Returns

Episode 4 Rebecca Romaine's biggest concern was how to make her farm-bred catfish taste like nothing. Then came a fateful phone call.

Episode 5 A distinct, unsettling scent: Politicking among the undertakers.

Episode 6 Rebecca noticed Giacomo's eyes were trained on his own reflection. More specifically, on his own ass.

Episode 7 He was determined to be strong, to go to D.C. with an agenda, and that agenda was to have good and lustful ongoing affairs simultaneously with three or four women in their forties.

Episode 8 Rebecca was so appallingly nervous and weird that all who sat witness wanted to douse her with water, throw a Red Cross blanket over her, and lead her to safety.

Episode 9 If Giacomo didn't know better, he'd be convinced he had feelings for Rebecca, unrelated to this election. But how?

Episode 10 "You want to win," the kid asked Rebecca, "or are you just doing a Ralph Nader kind of thing?"

Episode 11 Rebecca's idea was radical: No money accepted, no money spent -- a campaign of ideas, a campaign of hustle and sweat, brains and legwork.

Episode 12 Rebecca continued a few more steps, keys in hand, and felt the line compress around her. She was surrounded. She wanted to scream. They were going to mug her.

Episode 13 The students show up en masse -- some fainting, some drooling -- at Rebecca's campaign headquarters. What, she wonders, could they possibly want?

Episode 14 In the 14 hours since Rebecca had given her speech, it had been downloaded 8,237 times and made its way around the world many times over. Now, her fans wanted her to speak to them.

Episode 15 She has a donated castle and an army of volunteers wearing T-shirts saying "I Drank the Kool-Aid." So what is Rebecca supposed to do now?

Episode 16 Edward Longshanks fought fires, but was Edward Longshanks a firefighter? He was not. Edward Longshanks was a fixer. He was a cleanup man. He was a slate cleaner. He was an operative.

Episode 17 It was fascinating, this process, thrilling and so quick -- who knew manipulating political reporters would be so easy?

Episode 18 How could he know that he had political enemies who would decide to go after his good name -- which, yes, just happens to be Saddam.

New Hampshire Is for Lovers

Episode 19 It's presidential primary season, and every candidate has been tortured, shot or mutilated!

Episode 20 Glenn Close seemed nice enough. But the hundreds who gathered to see the prospective presidential candidate couldn't help wondering what, exactly, was she doing there?

Episode 21 A misplaced presidential sign leads to a roadkill and a seriously ugly, symbolic defeat.

Episode 22 Dick Benjamin wasn't just smart. He might have been the smartest presidential candidate -- ever! But how could he get the word out?

Episode 23 Teresa Santiago was ready to jump ship to another presidential candidate. But was she ready to commit political espionage?

Episode 24 She was a blond, bitchy, bestselling right-wing pundette running for president. And success meant striking exactly the right pout.

Episode 25 Will a disgruntled campaign volunteer have her revenge?

Episode 26 The day had come for Victoria Passionately to make her move -- and cause the president to rue the day he'd ever left his sorry home state.

Episode 27 "I'm here representing the young people of this country!" Victoria Passionately shrieked at the president. Then her dream of exposing him was smothered in a rich, enveloping sea of humiliation.

Episode 28 In her mind, she stared at the president and yelled "Liar!" But when she opened her mouth, something altogether different came out.

Episode 29 The pumpkin-colored T-shirt of the young bed-headed man working at the coffee shop had a word emblazoned on it that was familiar to Victoria, but from where? Then it dawned on her, and she promptly fainted.

Episode 30 The ex-president glided past clouds, and memories of his youth, while approaching a throng of media and friends ready to welcome him with a rousing cheer. All he had to do was land.

Episode 31 "Who is that man in the grip of elm tree? It is I, the 41st president of the United States of America"