“The Book of Fortunatus” appeared in the first issue of the Strange Attractor Journal (2004) edited by Mark Pilkington. It’s devoted to fringe literary theories, particularly those that find more meaning in a text than the author intended. Among the subjects are Pope R. Hill, who found hidden solutions to all of the Sherlock Holmes stories; Abraham Ettleson, who was convinced that Through the Looking Glass was about Judaism; Floria Benton, who argued that Isaac Asimov’s novels are studded with secret clues affirming that the earth is hollow; and a number of the more outré Baconians. I took special pride in spelling Shakespeare’s name differently each time it occurred.