Al Pachinko

My latest televisual addiction is "The Book Show", which screens on the SBS-operated cable arts channel Stvdio (they write it Roman style). MILF-y presenter Mariella Frostrup - imagine "Good Game"'s Hex in 20 years - is either hugely knowledgeable about the printed word or she has a crack team of research droids. Regardless of which it is, she's adept at coaxing famous authors into waxing literary, and I can't get enough. At present, that means fresh episodes Monday-Friday while we catch up with the UK, where it's a long-running weekly fixture. At the conclusion of each ep, all of the guests nominate the fictional hero or heroine they'd most like to be. Who would you choose? WHY?