This thread is intended for those little questions that have little answers. Those big questions that have flowing conversations as answers - those are called 'new threads' :P

In chapter 10: "Even a world populated exclusively with castles and cockroaches and people named K wa s preferable to a world filled with malignant birds that whispered his name in chorus"
The 'people named K' bit sounds a whole lot like a reference to something... but I don't know what. Help?

It's a reference to a couple of Franz Kafka's stories - 'The Castle' and 'Metamorphosis'. 'The Castle' has a protagonist named 'K' (and a castle), while 'Metamorphosis' has a man turning into a cockroach.

'The Trial', another of Kafka's stories, has a protagonist called Josef K.

The implication is that even a Kafkaesque world is better than what's happening right now.

Ahhhh.... I knew the Metamorphesis ref of course, but the only collection of Kafka I've read didn't have The Castle in it - Thanks!

This one I answered myself:
Chapter 13: "Faster than you can say Jack Robinson"
I hadn't come accross that phrase before, so I looked it up:
phrase origin link

Okay, how do you actually pronounce Anansi? I know it at least rhymes with Nancy, but...

I say it "uh-nan-see"
Neil answered this in July 2004

quote:

I've heard it pronounced A-nancy and uh-nunsi. (It tells you a little how it's pronounced that in some parts of the West Indies, Anansi stories became "Aunt Nancy" stories.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GMZoe,

Chapter five:
"Life is a rock, but radio rolled me."
Anyone know where this quote is from? It's from the scene in Grahame Coates is office where Spider is talking to him.

quote:

Life is a rock, but radio rolled me."

There's a Reunion song by that title.
lyrics here.

Thanks, GMZoe. I'm simply not smart enough to track down something Neil posted in 2004.

Thanks, Dweller!

I read in a previous post in this very thread, something along the lines of "deleted scene with Spider". Could anyone tell me what the dilly yo?

there is a 7 page deleted scene from Anansi Boys which was printed in the back of the UK edition of the book. The scene was cut because it altered the pacing of the chapter, but Neil still liked the scene. I haven't read it yet simply because I've been away, so can't comment on how good or bad it is yet.
The UK edition also reprints some of Neil's hand written manuscript pages and some reading group discussion questions.

Danke!

Just curious - Daisy uses the phrase 'Bless' a lot. Is this a common expression in England, and is there an American equivalent?

Have never been in Britain, but have watched a lot of BBC :P Yes, it's a fairly common Brit phrase. I'll try to get one of our Brits here to do a translation though as I can't think of an appropriate one

Bless is sort of saying "Awwwww, ain't that sweet?".


Can't think of an American equivalence.

Hrm. Maybe the USAnian version is "Awwwww, ain't that sweet"?

quote:

Originally posted by Cavenagh:
Bless is sort of saying "Awwwww, ain't that sweet?".


Can't think of an American equivalence.

yes, oftern said when looking at small babies and snotty nosed kids.

and said lots by old ladies, and with wrinkling of the nose

OK, Total noob here, please be easy on me.
If the following doesn't qualify as a random question, I don't know what does!
I searched the board here, and I googled it, but cannot find out what the heck "hard toilet paper" is.
Chapter Six, page 111, second paragraph-- "In Mrs. Dunwiddy's house there was pine-scented hard toilet paper--shiny, uncomfortable strips of greaseproof paper." He goes on about "hard toilet paper" for two more sentences, left me puzzled. OK, he pretty well describes it, but I've never heard that wording used.
I grew up in a home with a very "thrifty" mom, so I know all about cheap, single-ply, rough as sandpaper TP!
Is this a Brit expression/term?
Any insight into this particular term would be appreciated.
TIA,
Corvus

my guess is that it means the stuff public restrooms use for papertowels. cuz that is just old fashioned toilet paper. you know, the thick absorbant white kind? but they make brown too.