Speaking of shaggy dog stories, as mentioned by Jill in class Wed., I had never heard of them, and now I just bumped into this web link off of the Downers Grove library… http://www.awpi.com/Combs/Shaggy/
pegged as the first and only shaggy dog story website.
Opposite vein of frivolity of a shaggy dog story:  I just read an article this morning in the Weekend Journal of The Wall Street Journal, “Lost in Fiction,” by Alexander McCall Smith, author of the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series, talking about the importance of morals in fictional characters, that he has noticed in feedback from his readers, and that he said often reflect upon himself, the author in spite of it all.  He has to constantly remind people, “It’s just a story.” “When readers think fiction is real:” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123880307592488761.html#mod=todays_us_nonsub_weekendjournal