'Up in the Air'

It's a scenario many authors dream about: Their book becomes a smash movie. But novelist Walter Kirn a Montana resident and Minnesota native, is taking the pessimistic view as he watches the movie version of his book, "Up in the Air," soar to critical and box office success. "I'm a Minnesotan," Kirn says. "We dream too big, we're going to be humbled." Paramount's "Up in the Air" has pulled in $63.9 million in the United States in seven weeks and won raves for actor George Clooney as a slick ax-man racking up frequent-flier miles as he fires workers for other companies. Director Jason Reitma...