David Duchovny is well known as an actor (The X-Files, Californication, a new series this spring on NBC called Aquarius), but his original ambition was to be a writer.
Holy Cow started out as a screenplay, but Duchovny says it's difficult in today's market to put together a deal with an independent filmmaker, and harder still when you are pitching an animated film. So eventually he decided to redo the screenplay as a book and look for a publisher. Farrar, Straus & Giroux took on the project and Holy Cow was released at the beginning of February --- very conveniently for Duchovny as it turns out, since he could combine public appearances for his book with the publicity for his upcoming NBC show.
To sum up quickly: this is the story of a cow, a pig, and a turkey, who join forces to escape their ultimate fate on a dinner plate. Elsie the cow is heading for India, where cows are sacred; Jerry the pig has converted to Judaism, renamed himself Shalom, and plans to settle in Israel where pork is not kosher. Tom the Turkey is convinced he will find safety in Turkey the country.
Unfortunately it's not clear what audience Duchovny had in mind for this book. It's not Animal Farm but neither is it Walter Brooks' beloved children's series Freddie the Pig. It looks, superficially, like a book for "tweens" (early adolescents), but the cultural references would not be familiar to most people under forty. And for a humorous book, it's really not all that funny. Duchovny should hold on to his day job. for now.
Click HERE to watch Duchovny interviewed on NBC's The Today Show.
Click HERE to hear Duchovny talk about what inspired Holy Cow.
Click HERE to read the review from the Chicago Tribune.
Click HERE to read the review from the UK Guardian.
