The Friday Quiz: Books-Jam in the Burrow
Ladies and gentlemen, the unsinkable Boxjam Brown provides for your empuzzlement today's exercise for that underused 73% of your brain (as I understand it, the typical division of labor for the active 27% goes something like this: 4% trying to remember the name of that weird breakfast cereal your old roommate was always eating, 7% tracking celebrity romances, 12% free-floating anxiety, and the remaining 4% for line dancing at weddings).
Grok now his consciousness-expanding koan, cleverly disguised in the form of an item of literary trivia. (However, refrain from asking him "Master Boxjam, what is the Buddha?" as, like all Zen masters, he'll probably use this as an excuse to get you to do some serious manual labor.)
This author's writing career lasted just eleven years, although he lived for more than thirty years after his last book was published during his lifetime. Largely forgotten when he died, his widow found an unpublished novel he had written and saved it. 33 years AFTER his death, his truly last published work was first published - more than 67 years since his last new work.
Who was the author? Bonus - what was the book?
First correct answer posted to comments wins a Thummly's commemorative air freshener (please specify Mango Madness or Highland Spring). No Googling or pretending to be in an accident and asking the OnStar operator for help. Anyway, you shouldn't be playing the quiz while driving, even if you do have your fancy GPS-enabled navigator thingy going. GOD, YOU PEOPLE ARE IRRESPONSIBLE.
One guess per comment, but please boost Boxjam's fragile self-esteem by honoring his guest appearance as quizmaster with an usually large number of comments. Which is to say, somewhat more than five.
Comments
Has no one posted yet because I called everyone "irresponsible?"
I'm really sorry. But people have got to start guessing. Because I don't know the answer to this one.
And it's driving me out of my mind.
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 10:47 AM
Seems a bit too long a time frame to be Melville and Billy Budd, but we might as well get the ball rolling somewhere.
Posted by: hackly_fracture![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 10:58 AM
*sigh*
Posted by: boxjam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 11:09 AM
Whelp, that was fun.
Yeah, Melville last published in 1857. He died in 1891. Billy Budd was first published in 1924.
"Moby Dick" was actually his "jump the shark" moment - he'd been building a reputation until then, and MD was a total flop from which he never recovered.
Posted by: boxjam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 11:10 AM
Glurk. I shoulda known that one. For some reason I had it in my mind that we were talking about the 20th Century.
OK, I have an unrelated follow-up: What country's official name -- in a language different than any of its official languages -- commemorates a thousands-year-old tribe that clashed with Julius Caesar? What was the tribe?
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 11:26 AM
Benito Cerino! Pierre!
(slinks off realizing his moment has passed)
Posted by: hackly_fracture![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 01:44 PM
Dear BT,
I'm sorry I ruined the Friday quiz.
boxjam.
Posted by: boxjam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 04:40 PM
Wow, I win one quiz and the whole joint falls into silence and despair.
Cool!
I guess Ireland, real name Eire, from when the Romans were going toe to toe with the Eiraquis.
Posted by: hackly_fracture![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 05:21 PM
Billy Budd, "versed in the science of his profession, and intrepid to the verge of temerity, though never injudiciously so."
High school summer reading list, I had to look up temerity:
Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness.
Reading it felt like I was picking nits from among split hairs. It's probably why I didn't major in English, and as a consequence DO SO BADLY ON THIS QUIZ WEEK AFTER WEEK. That, and the time zone.
That tribe's gotta be the Visigoths, based on the fact that BT probably couldn't resist. As for the nation, guh, Switzerland?
Posted by: Jonathan![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 05:26 PM
um... HUN-gary? As in Hungary Hun Ross?
Always be smashing!
Posted by: bootsy3000![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 07:09 PM
Don't feel bad, Jonathan. I did major in English and I still get my ass kicked like 95% of the time.
Oh and is there any other tribe besides THE TRIBE?
(PS Bill can I have your list of leftover girls names? Now that you've stolen all the good Shakesperean ones! Sloppy seconds for the Creature!)
Posted by: bootsy3000![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 28, 2006 07:11 PM
The answer is Switzerland or, in Latin, the Confoederatio Helvetica. Of course, the Helvetii were the tribe we are speaking of.
And, Bootsy, we'll send you the list. Really, we will. Unfortunately, most of them probably clash with "B. Yogurt."
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 31, 2006 12:23 AM