Secrets of the Wholly Grill
Subtitle: a novel about cravings, barbecue, and software
By: Lawrence G. Townsend.
Edition: 1st Carroll & Graf ed.
Publisher: Carroll & Graf
Published: 2002
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 330
Subjects: Computer software industry -- Fiction; Class actions (Civil procedure) -- Fiction; California -- Fiction
Genres: Fiction.
Description: "Someone in Silicon Valley is stirring up trouble again, and it's just who you'd expect: The software giant ThinkSoft, and it's megalomaniacal founder, Art Newman. They are making coded mischief with their newest product, a backyard barbecue. Or, should we say, "a laser-powered cooking device, connected by modem to a proprietary information network, designed to provide the ultimate outdoor dining experience for millions of barbecue-loving Americans - the Wholly Grill!"".

"However, the Wholly Grill has the whole legal system on edge. ThinkSoft has shipped packages of sirloin, marinated in a special trade secret sauce, to millions of homes free of charge, but the ultra-fine print on the shrink-wrap label requires the user to cook the meaty giveaway only on the Wholly Grill. And that's just the beginning of ThinkSoft's legal snare.".

"Freakish accidents and cruel punishments befall grillers who disobey any of the strict license terms: dangerous explosions of the secret sauce's Smoke Crystals; and SWAT teams and K-9 units breaking up mom-and-pop delis and charity picnics ("you agree not to make any commercial or for-profit use of the Information System"). On top of all this, the secret sauce is producing strung-out barbecue junkies. Could there be something addictive in the Wholly Grill Barbecue Sauce?".

"It's up to the team of high profile loose-cannon-at-law Edwin G. Ostermyer, his fledgling associate Will Swanson, the alluring reporter Persi Valentino, and portly plaintiff Lenny Milton to take down the info-tech giant and its high priest of high tech in a comic class-action suit for the ages.".

"The evidence is hidden in ThinkSoft's headquarters, which Will and Persi must infiltrate. As they reveal the secrets of the Wholly Grill in open court, author Lawrence G. Townsend crafts a hilarious and topical story in a style that brings to mind Joseph Heller - or John Grisham on laughing gas."--BOOK JACKET.