Author Topic: Author! Author!  (Read 360693 times)

roshanarose

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2160 on: August 05, 2011, 10:58:00 PM »
I hadn't realised someone had written about me  :o

PatH - I think rosemary is PC less just now.
How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?  - Plato

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2161 on: August 06, 2011, 12:28:19 AM »
Sorry, roshanarose, you don't look anything like the character.  Rosemary is in the process of getting back online.  If she can stay on long enough to guess it (I admit that seems to take about 10 seconds) she can either pose a new quiz or pass the baton to someone else.

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2162 on: August 06, 2011, 06:48:08 AM »
Is this an apparently bumbling detective?
Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2163 on: August 06, 2011, 07:42:24 AM »
Oh, good grief!  Yes.

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2164 on: August 06, 2011, 10:27:31 AM »
The clues make me think of

Author -         Rex Stout
  Character -  Nero Wolfe
  Book -         League of Frightened Men (because it's the only title I can think of)
Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2165 on: August 06, 2011, 10:37:27 AM »
Actually, although that fits it's not what I had in mind.

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2166 on: August 06, 2011, 10:39:43 AM »
The author is not American.

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2167 on: August 06, 2011, 10:51:43 AM »
And there I was thinking you'd made a brilliant play on words with the author being 'rather portly' ie. 'Stout'   :D

The only other one I can think of is Inspector Jacques Clouseau - The Pink Panther series - written by ?? somebody - maybe Blake Edwards...  

Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2168 on: August 06, 2011, 03:20:56 PM »
I thought of Clouseau, too, Gumtree, but ruled him out because I couldn't find a real author attached to it. The other one I thought of, bumbling wise but only as a ruse, is Peter Falk's character, Colombo. However, he is also American and I don't have a clue if it came from a book or not. Still thinking.

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2169 on: August 06, 2011, 03:33:17 PM »
Not as bumbling as Clouseau, and older.

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2170 on: August 06, 2011, 05:07:37 PM »
Was it here we were talking about Dorothy Sayers and Margerie Allingham? both their detectives would fill the bill, although I don't know that either of the authors were stout.

Bertie Wooster is bumbling enough for anyone, but I don't think he knows what's what.

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2171 on: August 06, 2011, 05:08:38 PM »
Miss Marple also appears bumbling: again, was Christie stout?

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2172 on: August 06, 2011, 06:09:50 PM »
Bumbling is too strong to describe the detective, who seems clumsy and dowdy and socially a bit inept, while being totally accurate in seeing the motives of the people around him/her.

"Stout" isn't a good clue unless you happen to know what the author looked like, but s/he weighed 21 stone (290 pounds).

straudetwo

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2173 on: August 06, 2011, 10:51:33 PM »
PatH, 
Here's a really wild guess.

Author :  Umberto Eco
Book :    The Name of the Rose
Character :  Franciscan friar William of Baskerville

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2174 on: August 06, 2011, 11:24:12 PM »
Traude, that was a good book, wasn't it?  However, it's not it.  You can deduce nationality as British from the fact that I gave the author's weight in stones.  (If you wanted to say that a 21 stone person must be male, you would be right in this case.)

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2175 on: August 06, 2011, 11:35:32 PM »
The next set of clues:

Author: My religion is important to me.

Book: short stories, several books.  Any one will do.

Character: in several of the stories, I associated with a disreputable person.  I eventually got him to clean up his act.

I know JoanK has read these, and I bet someone else has too.

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2176 on: August 07, 2011, 08:45:31 PM »
Nobody?  How about some really blatant clues.

Character: Religion is absolutely central to me too.  My costume is easily identified.  I am sometimes seen fumbling around for my umbrella.

If this doesn't do it, we'll have to wait for JoanK to come out from the woodwork.  I know she knows it.

roshanarose

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2177 on: August 07, 2011, 09:12:43 PM »
PatH - Rather off topic, sorry, but I am very excited to learn that you and your sister Joan will be guiding us on our next classical foray.  

I have no idea who this person is, but fear I should.  The emphasis on religion and helping someone to "clean up their act" suggests that perhaps the main character is "a man of the cloth".  Perhaps that is what the clue "My costume is easily identified" indicates as well.  A cassock??
How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?  - Plato

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2178 on: August 07, 2011, 09:26:38 PM »
You're right about the cassock.  You probably haven't read the books or you would know who.  There aren't that many priest detectives.

I'm excited about the classics too, though I'll have to work pretty hard to be worthy of following in Ginny's footsteps.  Fortunately, Joan is the senior, and I can bow to her greater experience. ;)

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2179 on: August 07, 2011, 09:49:01 PM »
It's Father Brown by Chesterton! I knew I'd feel like an idiot when I found out who it was. The bad character is the theif (can't remember his name) who reforms and becomes a sidekick.

I bought "The Complete Father brown"  for my kindle (for $1.99) and I've been rereading them, so I have no excuse for not getting it sooner. They hold up fairly well. Of course, there are little sermons in them.

I didn't know Chesterton weighed 21 stone, but somehow I'm not surprised. The scenes of Father brown and friend eating and drinking are drawn with a food (and wine) lovers pen.

 

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2180 on: August 07, 2011, 11:13:55 PM »
WINNER WINNER WINNER

I knew you'd get it, JoanK.  The thief is Flambeau.  Not only was Chesterton massive, he used to go around in a long flowing cloak with a broad-brimmed hat.  Must have been quite a sight.

roshanarose

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2181 on: August 08, 2011, 10:44:53 AM »
FANTASTIC JOANK, WELL DONE AND CONGRATULATIONS AND BLOODY BEWDY MATE.

I was looking at Brother Cadfael, but knew I was on the wrong track.  There was no fiddling with umbrellas way back in Matilda's day.

Yeah - Ginny will be a hard act to follow, but every individual brings something different and unique to such discussions.

How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?  - Plato

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2182 on: August 08, 2011, 12:12:58 PM »
Hooray for JoanK

I should have guessed Chesterton - but it's been soooo long since I read him!


PatH & JoanK - you're just 'a natural' to make a great combo in the classics discussion  :D   - I think the hardest part will be for the voters to whittle the giant list down.
Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2183 on: August 08, 2011, 04:57:02 PM »
I will have to look up  Chesterton and the Father Brown series. I do remember someone talking about Father Brown before, but it isn't something I would have thought of.

Great catch, Joan K!

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2184 on: August 08, 2011, 07:18:59 PM »
Give me a bit to think of something, and I'll be back.

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2185 on: August 08, 2011, 07:44:29 PM »
OK, the list says this one hasn't been used. here goes:

the author: wrote many books, both fiction and non-fiction

the book: not his/her most popular

the character: young and ready for adventure

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2186 on: August 09, 2011, 03:18:54 PM »
No bites on those vague clues. Next set:

the author: wrote many books, both fiction and non-fiction
                   one of his other books has become controversial.

the book: not his/her most popular
                 is best known for it's setting

the character: young and ready for adventure
                       learns a technical skill during the book.

rosemarykaye

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2187 on: August 10, 2011, 03:57:53 AM »
 ??? ???

Rosemary   :)

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2188 on: August 10, 2011, 07:27:18 AM »
Ditto  -  ???   ???
Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2189 on: August 10, 2011, 07:36:48 AM »
Likewise  ???

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2190 on: August 10, 2011, 07:44:50 AM »
Same here!  ???

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2191 on: August 10, 2011, 03:11:34 PM »
the author: wrote many books, both fiction and non-fiction
                   one of his other books has become controversial.
                   is famous for portraying the speech of ordinary people

the book: not his/her most popular
                 is best known for it's setting
                 combines autobiography with tall tales

the character: young and ready for adventure
                       learns a technical skill during the book.
                       is the author.

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2192 on: August 10, 2011, 03:53:08 PM »
Kind of sounds like Will Rogers. Boy, I used to like watching him on TV. http://www.cmgww.com/historic/rogers/

That aside, are we talking about Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)? Life on the Mississippi, maybe?

PatH

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2193 on: August 10, 2011, 04:26:05 PM »
Wow, Frybabe, that's got to be it.  Good job!

JoanK

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2194 on: August 10, 2011, 06:41:52 PM »
                                       WINNER   WINNER   WINNER

Mark Twain "Life on the Mississippi' it is. Good job, FRYBABE.

roshanarose

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2195 on: August 11, 2011, 12:58:58 AM »
YOU ROCK BABE ! ! !
How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?  - Plato

Gumtree

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2196 on: August 11, 2011, 05:16:24 AM »
FRYBABE DOES IT AGAIN !!

Good Quiz - I was nowhere on that one.
Reading is an art and the reader an artist. Holbrook Jackson

rosemarykaye

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2197 on: August 11, 2011, 05:25:07 AM »
Ditto!  Well done!

Rosemary

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2198 on: August 11, 2011, 08:52:01 AM »
It was the last set of clues that did it. Previously, I was thinking along the lines of Robert Louis Stevenson what with the "young and ready for adventure" and "learns a technical skill".

I hope to have something up for you later on today. Right now I want to take advantage of the cool down and dry to mow part of my lawn.

Frybabe

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Re: Author! Author!
« Reply #2199 on: August 11, 2011, 02:32:43 PM »
Okay, I think I am ready now.

Author: Born in England, but now lives in the US.

Book: Novel about growing up as a first generation American.

Character: Named after a writer.

This one should be pretty easy.