h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Wasn't absolutely sure, so I had to come back for a second look at this article
I've just roughed out (on my PS) the first 'skeleton' of what I hope to develop into a Guide entry. While writing, a certain 'non-word' sort of flowed off the tips of my fingers and seemed so appropriate in context that I left it where it fell!

Don't wish to seem 'pushy' but I just HAD to check this entry to see if you are supposed to put yourself forwards for consideration, or if you have to sit back and wait to be noticed ... if I've read this correctly, would-be "wordsmiths" have to be patient and wait .... ??

Hi Bagheera,

Thanks for your message. I've just been over for a butchers at your personal space. I do like "Kippled" as an adjective -reminds me of a Milligan gag. "Do you like Kipling?" "I don't know, I've never been Kippled"! RIP Spike.... Speaking of which, I might add some links to guide entries about wit....

"Unanswers" is also good! A friend of mine used "answerves" to describe a similar phenomenom - the evasive answer. I'm afraid it's not eligible for an award unless its nominated by an academy member, because I'm worried about people writing witticisms in order to be nominated, rather than in context. Unanswers is clearly in context, but I even so I think I'm going to have to rule out self-nomination. Sorry! But thanks for asking - I've amended the page to make it clearer.

Would you like to join the academy? Obviously you couldn't nominate your own wit, but there more academy members there are, the less the chance of quality wit or eloquence going unoticed.

On other matters, I'm interested in your guide entry preparation about children's books. I think it's such a difficult issue, because times do change, and some of the attitudes shown in older children's literature are no longer appropriate.

I remember as a teenager reading my little sister a story from an old edition of Aesop's Fables, being familiar with the sanitised version. I was shocked to find that the one I started reading was deeply anti-semitic. I think there are Blyton books that do show racist or sexist attitudes, but not all of them. If that is the case, I certainly wouldn't support a blanket ban.

I grew up reading my dad's Biggles books (I'm not that old - 26), and I'm in two minds about them. The war stuff is probably not suitable - it doesn't always glorify war, but it does come very close. Biggles has his anti-war moments, but these are just quiet reflection. The later Biggles-as-air-detective stuff is probably better, but there might be problems with racism here and there.

I suppose another argument would be that children's literature is no more static than adult literature. We're not reading the same stuff that our parents and grandparents read, so perhaps we shouldn't expect our children to read what we read when we were young. Granted, there will always be a literary canon, but I think that change is good!

Just my ramblings....

Otto.

Thanks for a swift and concise response, Otto! You have more than answered my preliminary query: and yes, I'd be DELIGHTED to help out with the Academy - words (and playing with words) is, for me, a constant source of pleasure and amusement!

Grimm's Fairy Tales (esp. the original language versions) were never written specifically for children, either! As you rightly say, this subject is wide-ranging and highly emotive, but I AM concerned about the slipping standards I referred to, and this I am convinced is reason enough to research more thoroughly into the subject - this is where I am hoping to find one or two h2g2 Researchers with similar concerns who might be prepared to contribute.

Please keep in touch!
BAGHEERA