Where is it from?

[Andy78]

Since the only French authors I know are Hugo and Dumas (and I knew it wasn't Dumas), I guessed the only book I knew

 

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."

[Zombie]

It's the er, damn - Salinger - yes - he only wrote one full; length book.

Catcher in the Rye! Isn't it?

[Andy78]

Congrats Zombie.

 

Your turn.

[Zombie]

The direct style is a giveaway. Much copied since of course. Plus I reread it about a year ago and I remembered the David Copperfield reference. It's such a brilliant opening line - sucks you right in.

 

Damn, now I've got to find something. Still, gives me a reason to clear the dust of all those old tomes hehehe *thinks wicked thoughts and laughs evilly*

[Andy78]

Please Mr Zombie none of those dust-covered old tomes by dead guys who didn't speak English

[Zombie]

"He wants, he needs, to do the immoral, irresponsible thing. He wants to let this boy court his own destruction. He wants to commit that cruelty. Or (kinder, gentler version) he doesn’t want to reconfirm his allegiance to the realm of the sensible, all the good people who take responsibility, who go to the right and necessary parties, who sell art made of twoby-fours and carpet remnants. He wants, for at least a little while, to live in that other, darker world— Blake’s London, Courbet’s Paris; raucous, unsanitary places where good behavior was the province of decent, ordinary people who produced no works of genius."

 

Clue: it's not an old dusty tome by a dead guy

 

Look, I'm off now till Sunday so if you want to start another and pick up when I'm back that's fine. On the other hand you all being such clever well-read critters it won't surprise me if one of you gets this straight off (another clue heheh)

Edited May 11, 2012 by Zombie

[Andy78]

I know this one. And yes it's not an old dusty tome by a dead guy. But I'll let someone else have a guess first.

[Zombie]

Good - that's sporting of you

[Palantir]

It makes me think of Oscar Wilde's 'Picture of Dorian Grey' - but OW is definitely dead.

[Andy78]

I will speak for Zombie since he's away. It's not Portrait of Dorian Gray.

[Frostina]

oookay, Clue time!

[Andy78]

It was first written in English (a concept our beloved Frosty may be unfamiliar with ).

 

I'll leave any other clues to Zombie since he is back tomorrow.

[Zombie]

CLUE TIME! CLUE TIME!!

It's by a successful American writer

[LJH]

I have no idea there are so many successful american writers nit could be anybody.

 

[Zombie]

It's about the brother-in-law ...

[Frostina]

By nightfall?

[Zombie]

Took you long enough Frosty

[Frostina]

Took you long enough Frosty

 

Whoa!! you mean i'm right?? lol

Uh, i havent read it, i just have read *about* it! (thats the 2nd time reading about a book helped! )

Sooo.. i have NO clue abt the author though!

[Zombie]

Michael Cunningham. And you should read it, instead of all those dusty musty fusty falling-to-bits covered-in-cobwebs moth-eaten tomes by dead foreigners!

Sooo, over to you.

[Frostina]

you do realise, so are British and American authors, to me?

 

Sooo... quote:

 

“Strange thoughts brew in your heart when you spend too much time with old books”

[LJH]

Aravind adiga

The white tiger

 

Best seller Amongst my 2nd hand books. The cover sells it. Splendid cover.

[Frostina]

Aravind adiga

The white tiger

 

Best seller Amongst my 2nd hand books. The cover sells it. Splendid cover.

 

darnit!

 

oops! said that out loud, did i?

 

I mean..... GOOD Job!! Your turn, Louis!

[LJH]

I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Equator runs across these highlands, a hundred miles to the north, and the farm lay at an altitude of over six thousand feet. In the day-time you felt that you had got high up; near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold.

[Frostina]

[Zombie]

I'm guessing you play fair Louis, so it won't be one of Frosty's Favourites (old, dead and foreign ) but something reasonably well known. Now the only African writings I know of are Born Free and Out of Africa (in both cases I've only seen the films) and as this doesn't sound like lion country I'm guessing the latter - and I only know the author of the first (Joy Adams - wasn't she mauled to death by the lion?)