The television adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" will be released on April 30 of this year. The show will focus on Shadow Moon, a former convict who is hired by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday to be his bodyguard. However, trouble is arising since the gods of old are upset about newer and flashier gods who are taking their rightful places. The levees are breaking, and the water is seeping out.

In many ways, "American Gods" is a relevant show because it focuses on the history of immigrants in the United States. The immigrants who brought their own culture and beliefs while living in this country. Gaiman, an immigrant himself, understands how our cultures have been prodded, sliced, mashed, smashed, or simply forgotten into one loaf of a culture. The tasty and unique bits of our pasts which have been dulling into a blank and bland gray shadow of its former self.

Gaiman crafted a purely Americana tale of an old god and an ex con traveling across the country in their god, recruting the forgotten for one last battle to end all. After all, this is a land whose landscape has been influenced by the persons of their past and the gods that they prayed for until a predominatle culture was established. Their culture either had to become "American" or let it go entirely.

The stories in the book take place in small towns which are not near the interstate, where mom and pop stores are the only in town. Tourist Attractritions near exits are places of great power. Rock City, which is near my college, serves as the site of the final battle. The folklore which we grew up on is the lifeblood in both mediums.

I have the highest hopes that Bryan Fuller and Michael Green will do this material justice. I can go into this story since I am so passionate about the book, but I do not wish to influence your opinions on this story. Watch it with an open mind, take it all in, and ask what is exactly "American."