Literary Discussion Gifts

"Yes, could you discuss the inspiration for the protagonist? Specifically, the motivations which propel the direction of his narrative?" "I would prefer not to." "Bartleby, the author."

Mom's book club is discussing some author's defense of wild, passionate romance. I've been listening in. I can't decide if I'm fascinated

"It's a great story, funny and entertaining - and better still it's not won a single prize for literature."

"It seems my fear of death has been replaced by my fear of politics."

"The university said he was a climate change denier so remove the statue."

5pm Happy Hour. 6pm discussion: what is true happiness?

Freedom comes at a cost. We must be willing to pay the ultimate price. Retail.

"I like movies that resemble my life, so I don't feel like I'm wasting time watching a movie."

"O.K., O.K., people - we're not workshopping these, they're already set in stone."

"His exercise wheel has lost all its fascination sinces he started reading Hemingway."

"Strawman argument terrorises conversation... News at eleven."

"That was totally....what's the word I'm looking for?"

"That's five votes for In The Midst of Winter....three votes for The Hollow Ground....and, again, one vote for Moby-Dick."

My belief is if you're old enough to take texts, counter-texts, and meta-texts in Western Philosophy, you should be old enough to drink.

"Darling, I think we need to talk about where this relationship is going..." Male evolution.

"...I don't believe in the past or the future. I don't even believe in right now. Everyone remembers the past differently. Everyone imagines the future differently. Everyone even disagrees about what's happening right now. So who's to say tomorrow what you and I did tonight?"

"Do you think the flat earth society has members round the globe?"

"Spoiler alert! I'm about to tell you the part that really bugged me about 'Wolverine.'" "You don't have to say 'spoiler alert,' minion. It's been a month." "Anyone who hasn't seen it yet has not fulfilled their role as a dutiful consumer, and deserves whatever spoilage they will receive." "In fact, let me know who they are and I'll enter them into my database. When the corporatist revolution comes, there will be consequences." "Um... never mind."

"Tracey, this is Gene. He also read the Nancy Reagan book in unbound galleys."

"No es problema para mi si no es problema para ti."

"So, what are you reading?"

"Now that was post-modern sex."

"Discussion topic: Is our society becoming less civil and more violent?"

A book reviewer reads between the margins.

'What do you mean 'theoretically'? Everything we do is theoretical.'

'To avoid possible schism, a period of careful reflection is needed before changing the light-bulb.'

"The problem is you say Nietzsche and expect everything to be just peachy."

Spelling a newspaper

Frontispiece to 'The Pickwick Papers'

"He's Right Behind Me, Isn't He?"

"I don'y know about you guys, but I don't feel like I've lost one goddamn bit of my feminity."

"Sorry, I don't have an opinion - just in case I get vilified on social media. . ."

"It's time we have a talk about the alternate facts of life.

'How are we supposed to think the unthinkable if we have to drink the drinkable?'

"And he paraphrased New York Judge Gerard Lynch when he said our country has an overinflated system of incarceration that is far too punitive, disproportionate in its impact on the poor, exceedingly costly and largely impotent in reducing crime. Anyway, that's what I learned in school today."