posted
No, not a Dobie. I see that the google searches have some success, but they get answered fairly quickly, so here is an attempt at requiring some good research, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two along the way.
I am going to ask you to find the answer to a question. You are free to use any and all web faculties you may have to find the answer, EXCEPTING that none of these options may include directly contacting me (this includes IM and email, and phone, snail mail, knocking on my door... In fact, if you knock on my door, you probably should have spent the time figuring out my address instead on answering the question!).
I expect this question to take more than simple googling. I will give a hint everyday that passes without an answer. I'd also like for searchers to "register" their intent in this thread, so I'm not bumping a thread no one cares about.
Anyway, when you get the answer, post it, with your basic process for finding the answer. You gain demerits if you guess (even correctly) any of the answers.
The answer is out there.
Finally, the question:
"Name the title of a small book written by a local eccentric from Bokonon's (me) real life hometown, and tell me how many editions were printed??"
posted
"The Shadow Out of Time" by H.P. Lovecraft. Since it is often published in compilations, I suspect that asking how many editions have been published is like asking how many rivers there are in South America. (It depends on the definition, and I have no idea.)
posted
Amateur? Because I trusted a clue you seemed to leave in your profile? Let's just say I'm about as likely to use any means more complicated than that to search out your personal address for your challenge as you were to hunt down an Albanian for mine. 'Tis only a game, after all.
posted
I'm going out on a limb here, and guess that Bokonon's hometown is Gloucester or Newburyport. Going with Newburyport for the moment, I'm guessing "A Pickle for the Knowing Ones" by "Lord" Timothy Dexter, eight editions.
So...
Am I right?
Edit: I just saw that you wanted the process too. First I thought to look for a landmark post, but didn't find one. Then I did a search on Bok's member number plus the word "hometown" here on Hatrack and got 4 hits. In this thread Bokonon mentions that Innsmouth in Lovecraft's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" is largely based on his hometown. I then did some google searches and determined that Gloucester and Newburyport were the most likely candidates. Then I chose Newburyport and added "author" and "eccentric" as search terms. I found out that Timothy Dexter was a famous eccentric from Newburyport and, after searching on his name specifically, that he had written the short piece "A Pickle for the Knowing Ones". Adding "editions" to a search on the title yielded the information that there had been eight editions.
posted
Tristan totally wins... I suppose "versions" would have been better than editions. There have been 2 versions.: the first edition, and then every edition thereafter. THe first edition had no punctuation, and so, after much reader feedback, he created the second edition with about a page or tw oof periods, commas, and apostrophes at the, where he also instructed those readers that cared to "salt and pepper" the book as they pleased.
--- Quick way to get to it, Tristan, and my user profile DID have a clue... Using Lovecraft and Dagon you could have come up with a few of his stories. From there you could ID some towns mentioned in them, and follow Tristan's logic from that point on.
As for the "Amateurs" I was joking. I guess a smilie would have helped!
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