Chess, you say? Well, two can play at that game

[steepholm]

When blogging in Another Place recently I mentioned the blurb writers’ habit of characterizing books in terms of other books. It quickly became apparent that this could be turned into a parlour game.

For example, which book might be described as “Charlotte’s Web meets The Lord of the Flies”?

Animal Farm


Or “Death of a Salesman meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”?

The Chocolate War


I think we can all agree that this is the funnest thing since Tetris, but it’s not the kind of game one can play on one’s own. So, partly in honour of the return of I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue, partly for the sheer anarchic hell of it, but mostly as yet another displacement activity, who wants to play Guess the Literary Progeny?

All contributions welcome.

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I wonder if number 1 might be Fire and Hemlock, in some roundabout way?

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Not the book I had in mind, but it totally could be, couldn't it? I'll tell you if you want!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Not yet, not yet - still thinking...

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

I'll give you a hint about number uno. Lady Windermere's Fan may be a bit misleading if you think about it just in terms of the adultry. Helpful? Why, yes.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Then might it be sartorias's own Court Duel, perchance?

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Nope! (This is the best game ever.)

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Okay, you win, De La Rosa! Give me number one, so that I can see the devious way your mind works, then I may yet have a shot at numbers 2 and 3.

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland! Hurrah!

I hope you know that I'm going to have to force my friends to play this a lot, and they'll all blame you.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Luckily they'll have to cross the sea to find me.

Wow - The Trial I can totally see, but I haven't read LWF, and the Wikipedia plot summary has me scratching my head...

Am wondering whether Number 3 might be The Hobbit?

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Yes it is! Excellent!

I was thinking mostly along the lines of the Wilde play being a very Victorian comedy of manners - probably misleading, as I said. Gosh darn it. That's completely my fault and nothing to do with you.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Okay, a bow at a venture. How about The Wizard of Oz for number 2?

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

No, but I'm confident you'll get this one.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

The only other possibility that occurred to me was His Dark Materials, because it does have the death of God, after all. Tell me that's wrong, and I'll dismiss it from my thoughts, to think anew!

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Think theory of the Übermensch and think anew!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Ubermensch, eh? How about A Wrinkle in Time? Not sure about Goldilocks, but worth a shot!

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

Nope!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

"The übermensch, Nietzsche's bodhisattva, transcends this world by affirming it, escaping the herd mentality and rising above mere existence."

Well, if this doesn't describe Winnie the Pooh I'm giving up. Only one bear, admittedly, but Piglet and Tigger might count at a pinch, and Christopher Robin makes a delightful Goldilocks.

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

YES! I knew you'd get that one. Yay! Wasn't that exciting? Slash enfuriating?