Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable
19 journalers for this copy...
10/14 Update: This was a very cute book! The author is very talented with words. It was a quick read... though the phonetic writing was a little tough to get through. It's funny though, I wanted to tell the people to learn sign language or Hebrew or Greek or something... there are ways around prohibited letters. :) Of course their solution was infinitely better. :)
Released 19 yrs ago (10/16/2004 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed to mes3u.
Thanks!
Here is a review I found that describes the plot better than I can:
It's set on Nollop, a fictional island off the coast of South Carolina named for its long-dead founder, Nevin Nollop, the "genius" who came up with "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." A huge cenotaph of Nollop's sentence stands over the town square-and one day, the "z" falls to the ground. Nollop's elected-for-life Council interprets this as a missive from beyond the grave, "that the letter `Z' should be utterly excised-fully extirpated-absolutely heave-ho'ed from our communal vocabulary!" Other letters soon follow, and the novel becomes progressively lipogrammatic (a "lipogram" being writing in which one or more letters are forbidden), told exclusively in the form of letters from one citizen to another as they struggle to adapt (a third offense means banishment). Not even the discovery that the glue holding the letters up is calcifying sways the zealots on the Council (perhaps Nollop intended its deterioration). It's decided that only the construction of another sentence that uses every alphabet letter in only 32 graphemes could discredit Nollop's "divine" word.
I am considering starting a ray with this book, if there is any interest.
Usual ring/ray rules apply. Journal the book when received and when sent on. Try to keep it no more than a month. I read it in one sitting so it is a quick read. Hopefully enjoy the book.
Since this is a ray, I may add more people on at the end once the book start to reach the last participants.
saidenuj (Iowa, prefers US shipping)
momofap (Iowa, international shipping)
T02S03B11D20 (Michigan)
morsecode (NY, US shipping)
busybooklover(CA)
KarenZero (NY, prefers US, can do surface)
KimberleeV (NY, prefers US, can do surface)
genielady (WV, prefers US shipping)
mellion108 (Michigan, international shipping)
PaulsBooks aka: tostle (Utah, international shipping)
GateGypsy (Canada, international shipping)
Cross-patch (in UK, international shipping)
Miss-R (in UK, international shipping)
The-Quilt-Lady (in CA, USA)
guinaveve (in OH, USA)~~~Book is home and read to travel again~~~
Released 18 yrs ago (2/20/2006 UTC) at USPS in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
mailed to momofap - next up in the bookring
I was wondering if anyone else discovered what I did about the title? When people say the alphabet, and they get to the L-M-N-O-P part, they usually say it kind of fast and all together, rather than indiviual letters. If you try it, you will see that it says the title of this book: Ella Minnow Pea
The book gets progressively more difficult to read (especially toward the end of the book), which mirrors what the characters are experiencing in their daily lives.
This book works on so many different levels.
Mark Dunn... What an achievement for a first novel! First the coming up with the idea for the book and then executing it. I'm just blown away...
[posted to next participant, 28 March]
On another note--I knew a man who was obsessed with re-writing the phonetic alphabet to simplify it for non-english speakers learning elnglish. Somehow this reminded me a bit of him. I was curious anyways. Thanks for including me.
UPDATE 6/5/06
<-----The caption here reads... "the quick brown DOG jumps over the laxy FOX." LOL. The book is very entertaining and I was immediately invested as my last name begins with a "Z"!!!! =) Sorry I've held onto this beyond requested guideline.. :( I REALLY enjoyed it and am PMing next in line now. Clever and wonderful writer-- A fun story within a bundle of letters which which remind me of letters that my Great Aunts and Uncles wrote... before snail mail & email. What a treasure.
Released 17 yrs ago (11/8/2006 UTC) at for a bookray in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Such a different book! Loved the ending. Mailing off to Mellion. Enjoy!
I have one bookring that I'm currently reading (and it's taking me a lot longer than I anticipated for it). I'll read this one right after and get it moving again. Happy holidays!
Trade paperback (Advance Uncorrected Proof), 205 pages
I enjoyed the story. I tend to like stories told through letters, journal entries, etc. This one kept my interest, and I liked the tongue-in-cheek humor sprinkled throughout. How interesting to read about these people who were willing to give up such seemingly small things here and there rather than rocking the boat. Letters of the alphabet, civil liberties...we tend not to think about the bigger picture as long as our daily lives aren't disrupted too much, and then it tends to be too late to stop the snowball effect.
Anyway, thanks again for sharing the book. I have PaulsBooks's address and will get this in the mail as soon as I can.
UPDATE: Mailed via Media Mail to PaulsBooks on Dec. 2, 2006
I'll be sending this on to GateGypsy.
Thanks guinaveve for the great bookring!
Thanks for sharing this, guinaveve! It looks like fun!
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This book was tonnes of fun. I really did enjoy reading it, and was grateful to have had the chance to read it. I'm a sucker for a gimmick, and a book that was written entirely in letters is right up my alley.
There was some confusion, while I had this book, but it all got sorted out. Then, I thought I'd sent it along, but today discovered it while moving dvds and books from one shelf to another!
No worries, though, I have CrossPatch's addy, and will be sending this out on Monday, most like.
Thanks so much for your patience! (And thank you again for sharing!)
(updated May 4/07)
Released 16 yrs ago (5/5/2007 UTC) at controlled release: bookring in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
This book was skinny enough to be sent as a letter, and was cheaper to send that way than as a parcel. Odd, eh? Anyways, it got into the mail this morning, and so should arrive at its next stop relatively shortly. Enjoy!
18 June. Posted and on its way.
From what I remember, this was a thoroughly good read, and very clever. I would love to be so good with language that I could write a book like this. If I'd written this at the time of reading I would be able to write more about what I liked about it, but, alas, I didn't, due to circumstances beyond my control. I know, though, that I would read it again, and would recommend it to anyone with a love of the English language.
Feb. 20th, 2008
I read the book, and so did my 16 year old son. (7th grade son also wanted to read it, but too much homework, and I didn't want to hold it up...the premise of this book for one reason or another really grabs people!)
Anyway, so... we both thought it was great fun. I love books written in letter form, and this was just really intriguing. What a wacky place. Can you imagine?!!!
We have put in a request for LMNOP to be added to our local library, so more people can enjoy it.
Thanks for sharing! I mailed the book back home to you yesterday, Feb. 19th at about 3pm.
Released 16 yrs ago (2/29/2008 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I have included this book in my "Well Traveled" Bookbox.