| | Dog Days
ANA MARIE COX | The Washingtonienne
JESSICA CUTLER | Sammy’s Hill
KRISTIN GORE |
| Claim to fame: | Dirty-talking blogger at Wonkette.com | Former Senate staffer fired for her sex blog | Daughter of Al Gore |
| Prior writing experience: | Suck.com, Reason, Elle | None | Saturday Night Live and Futurama |
| Literary inspiration: | Dorothy Parker | Jackie Collins | Helen Fielding |
| Book’s heroine: | Melanie Thornton, a junior press staffer on a John Kerryesque presidential campaign | Jacqueline Turner, a Senate staffer fired for her sex blog | Samantha Joyce, a 26-year-old healthcare adviser to an Ohio senator |
| Basic plot: | Melanie invents a fake sex-blog scandal to deflect attention from her own affair with a married reporter | Sex-obsessed Jacqueline sleeps her way through Washington, racily detailing dalliances—some of whom pay her rent | Highly neurotic Samantha juggles dysfunctional relationships, Capitol Hill, and a race for the White House |
| First line: | “The champagne was cold and expensive.” | “Just between us girls, Washington is an easy place to get laid.” | “The party really started to rock when Willie Nelson and Queen Nefertiti began pouring shots.” |
| Bad-idea love interest: | Rick Stossel, a married political reporter | Turner herself | Senate speechwriter Aaron Driver |
| Fashion accessories: | BlackBerry, Charles David sandals | BlackBerry, Manolo Blahnik stilettos | BlackBerry, in-line skates |
| DC hangouts: | Russia House, Local 16 | Smith Point, Lounge 201 | Oval Room, Kelly’s Irish Times |
| Vices: | Married men, gin | Cocaine, Law & Order | Drinking |
| Cameos: | James Carville, Campbell Brown | James Carville, George Stephanopoulos | None readily identifiable. |
| Klutz moment: | Melanie trips in the middle of a convention party | Besides having a sex blog exposed? | Samantha trips in the middle of a Senate hearing |
| Fridge contents: | Styrofoam containers of spoiled takeout, Brita water | Fiji water | Pickles, soy sauce, root beer, Cool Whip, vodka |
| Sample steamy scene: | [Melanie]: “ ‘Did you just quote Karl Rove to me?’ Rick began unbuttoning her shirt: ‘Turns you on, too, does it?’ ” | “So that was my first date with Phillip. He got me a job, so I gave him one in return. And they both sucked.” | “We made our clawing way back inside to his couch, where I spilled the rest of the champagne on my skirt.” |
| Sample review quote: | “Cox has wit and sense. Occasionally she uses them.” | “Nothing wrong with a narrator this shallow, but she should at least be funny.” | “Fun, fast read.” |
| How we rate it (out of four): | ![[2 1/2 stars]](http://www.washingtonian.com/z_old_graphics/stars/star2_5.gif) | ![[1 star]](http://www.washingtonian.com/z_old_graphics/stars/star1.gif) | ![[2 stars]](http://www.washingtonian.com/z_old_graphics/stars/star2.gif) |
