# "becoming boats" - WTH does this mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436 "2013-02-26T16:27:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/61 "2013-03-03T01:41:49Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > And what does “The Crying of Lot 49” mean? The full significance of the title doesn’t become apparent until the very end of the novel, but “Lot 49” isn’t a piece of land or an allusion to the Biblical figure but rather a lot of goods at an auction. A lot is “cried” when the auctioneer announces it and begin taking bids. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/62 "2013-03-03T05:16:26Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > I found [this](https://tickets.architecture.org/public/show.asp?shcode=246) by entering Devil In The White City in the search boxes… 1. John Hancock building - completed in 1970. 2. Modern Skyscrapers (1950s-Present) 3. Trump International Hotel and Tower 4. Willis Tower and 311 S. Wacker Drive - formerly the Sears Tower. I don’t see how any of those are related to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Or the 1890s in general. Or H.H. Holmes and his hotel of death. When I entered White City in the search box, I got an article from a journal mentioning the book and tour, but no link to the actual tour. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/63 "2013-03-03T05:53:26Z")
If you search the word devil on the mainsite you find it (it’s the only hit). From the site: > [@](#): > > Devil in the White City Sun Mar 03, 2013 To Sun Mar 23, 2014 > This tour explores the compelling true story told by Erik Larson in his best selling book, “The Devil in the White City,” about two simultaneous events in Chicago history: the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the emergence of serial murderer Dr. Henry H. Holmes. > PRICE: Adults- $55, Members- $47 > DURATION: 3.25 hours > MEET: CAF Shop and Tour Center, 224 S. Michigan Avenue ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/64 "2013-03-03T06:05:07Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > When I entered White City in the search box, I got an article from a journal mentioning the book and tour, but no link to the actual tour. There’s something strange going on because when I clicked on the link in your response I get the same things you listed. When I just clicked again on the link in my post that you quoted, I go to the page showing the Devil In The White City tour. ---
**Author:** ![setforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@setforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/setforward)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/65 "2019-06-07T22:23:48Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I’m reading _The Devil in the White City_, and came across a phrase I cannot interpret. > > Author Erik Larson is describing the vision of landscape architect OImstead for how to lay out the Chicago grounds for the 1893 World’s Fair, and he says the following: > > Emphasis in original, paragraphing by space instead of the textual indentation because of software features. > > Google is no help. It does pull up [the book](http://books.google.com/books?id=kJp22rZDOZQC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22becoming+boats%22&source=bl&ots=lkX1DIyP1n&sig=KN6gzsu44gX9jUfW3Beb4wYrjc0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dN8sUfe-B6GZ8QGLhIG4Ag&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22becoming%20boats%22&f=false). See page 116. > > What the hell does “becoming boats” mean? Is that a goofy way of saying something like “up and coming boats” or “cutting edge boats”? > > I R confoos-ed. Reading on, I summised by context the term to refer to a concept of an electric or motorised boat - given the era was much around the onset of electricity - in preference to a choppy sort of rowing boat. Conceptually something smoother and more elegant. Loved that there were several new terms in the book I have now learned. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/66 "2019-06-07T22:37:45Z")
The becoming boats are on the left side of the channel, and the begoing boats are on the right side. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/67 "2019-06-07T22:50:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The becoming boats are on the left side of the channel, and the begoing boats are on the right side. Begone! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/68 "2019-06-08T14:42:19Z")
> [@just asking questions](#): > > the becoming boats are on the left side of the channel, and the begoing boats are on the right side. lmao. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/69 "2019-06-08T14:52:02Z")
I’m becoming less \*becoming. - Speaking of tours, the boat tours ([hosted by Chicago Architecture Center docents](http://www.architecture.org/)) are wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/70 "2019-06-08T15:00:29Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’m becoming less \*becoming. > > - > > Speaking of tours, the boat tours ([hosted by Chicago Architecture Center docents](http://www.architecture.org/)) are wonderful. My wife and I just did that exact tour in April. What a fantastic way to see Chicago architecture. Really something special. ---
**Author:** ![RoseGoldWidow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RoseGoldWidow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoseGoldWidow)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2023, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/71 "2023-06-06T01:21:53Z")
Oh my gosh! I’m reading the same book and came searching for answers for the same reason! Lol thank you for asking! And now it’s like ohhh man duh that makes sense. But I totally thought it was a special kind of boat like a canoe or a gondola or something lol ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/72 "2023-06-15T19:48:04Z")
Nice to know In not the only clueless one! Welcome to the board. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436/73 "2023-06-22T03:41:37Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Wow. This is a staple on post-1900 Confederate and neo-Confederate memorials, And part of a good line in The Addams Family movie. Also, OP, may I say that’s a fetching bonnet? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-boats-wth-does-this-mean/651436.md?page=3)