Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

Mike Shuttleworth & Lili Wilkinson

"So say we're at the Motel 6 on the other side of the Lincoln Tunnel and we're having that threeway with E.T. Who gets to be the top and who gets to be the bottom?"

Nick answers, "No-brainer. E.T. can't take the heat and goes off to the motel vending machine for some Reese's Pieces, and hopefully doesn't get caught in the crossfire of some crack deal gone bad while he's out there. I mean, really, Norah, Motel 6 off the tunnel? Couldn't we class it up a little? Wouldn't the devirginization of E.T. merit at least a Radisson, at least Paramus?"

Nick is a random bassist in an average queercore band. Stranded after his gig in a New York club, Nick takes emergency evasive action as an evil ex-girlfriend looms into view. He turns to some random girl in flannel who is standing at the bar, and asks, "I know this is going to sound strange, but would you mind being my girlfriend for the next five mintues?"

As Nick and Norah get to know each other, they move from the club to a transvestite bar that hosts an all-singing, all-stripping Sound of Music tribute night, to an all-night Russian cafe, to the ice-room in a Times Square hotel, and straight on til morning.

This is a fun, funny, compassionate and ultimately moving book about two people sharing one night in New York. The pace is breakneck - it's fast, snappy, frequently rude but never offensive.