Botticelli, April 2014

Thread Games
181

I’ll bring this one forward now.

DQ: From a work of horror?

182

The man who treasured the red stapler, and a reminder that comedy’s a possibility for the genre, is Milton Waddams

183

M.

  1. fictional
  2. male
  3. first name starts with M
  4. from a work of literature
  5. alive as of the end of his canon
  6. could conceivably (and easily) have existed in the real world
  7. from a work of American origin
  8. created after 1900
  9. literary work in which he appeared has been adapted for the screen, either television or cinema
  10. protagonist (but not the only one)
  11. created after 1960
  12. from a genre, rather than from general fiction
  13. not from a series of books
  14. story set in the 20th century
  15. not from science fiction
  16. not from a mystery/detective/spy story
  17. literary work was a novel
  18. not a work of fantasy
  19. not from a work of horror
184

…I’m just not coming up with anyone in particular. I know there have to be lots of characters named Michael or Mark or Mel, etc., but the old brain’s not clicking on it.

185

A small hint: It is none of those three names.

186

I’m still blank. Where’d everybody go?

187

Still here, just as blank as you are.

Matthew? Mitch? Morris? Manny?

188

All right, last hint: none of those four, either.

189

Still blank. One last DQ to close this out:

DQ: Did the book make the top 20 in the New York Times bestseller list for fiction?

190

M.

  1. fictional
  2. male
  3. first name starts with M
  4. from a work of literature
  5. alive as of the end of his canon
  6. could conceivably (and easily) have existed in the real world
  7. from a work of American origin
  8. created after 1900
  9. literary work in which he appeared has been adapted for the screen, either television or cinema
  10. protagonist (but not the only one)
  11. created after 1960
  12. from a genre, rather than from general fiction
  13. not from a series of books
  14. story set in the 20th century
  15. not from science fiction
  16. not from a mystery/detective/spy story
  17. literary work was a novel
  18. not a work of fantasy
  19. not from a work of horror
  20. did not make the top 20 in the New York Times bestseller list for fiction

Not on any lists for that year that I can see. If there’s an authoritative list of those, by year, please send me a link.

191

I don’t know of such a link, myself. My final guess (and I know it’s a throwaway):

DQ: Are you Marty McFly?

192

Pass.

193

Thanks, but no, I’m not.

194

Pass also. I have no idea.

195

I pass too.

196

I’ll wait until noon EST Mon. for anyone to ask any final earned “Are you Firstname Lastname?” questions, and then I’ll reveal the answer.

197

OK, then. I am

Moses “Mose” Pray

from the very good 1971 Joe David Brown novel Addie Pray, and the different but equally good 1973 movie based on it, Paper Moon (as played by Ryan O’Neal).

Next round to start tomorrow.

198

I vaguely recall hearing about the movie when it came out, but I couldn’t tell you anything about it - not even the actors’ names, let alone the characters’…

199

I remember Paper Moon with Ryan and Tatum. I enjoyed it at the theater, but haven’t seen it since. I wouldn’t have come up with the names of the characters, but it NOW occurs to me that we only narrowed it down the the 20th Century, and that MAYBE narrowing it down to the Depression Era might have helped. Good one, EH.

200

Thanks, Prof.

SCAdian, the book is very good and the movie is a classic. Check it out - you won’t regret it.

Hmm. Maybe I’ll just wait until Thurs. to start the May round?