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From: ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Douglas Adams' new book
Message-ID: <555@orca.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Feb-84 16:25:29 EST
Article-I.D.: orca.555
Posted: Mon Feb  6 16:25:29 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 06:17:48 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR.
Lines: 56

Yes, folks, Douglas Adams DOES have a new book out.  His co-author
is John Lloyd, and the title is.....

THE MEANING OF LIFF

That's LIFF, not life.

Let me quote you the preface (in its entirety)

"In Life *, there are many hundreds of common experiences, feelings,
situations and even objects which we all know and recognize, but for
which no words exist.

On the other hand, this world is littered with thousands of spare
words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about on
signposts pointing at places.

Our job, as we see it, is to get these words down off the signposts
and into the mouths of babes and sucklings and so on, where they can
start earning their keep in everyday conversation and make a more
positive contribution to society.


                                   Douglas Adams
                                   John Lloyd

*And, indeed, in Liff.                                            "


So, what we have in this book is a number of place names, most of
them from Britain, but not all of them, to which have been assigned
definitions.

I'll give you a few of them, but to really find the meaning of Liff,
you'll have to find a copy of the book.

"Abilene (adj.) 
Descriptive of the pleasing coolness on the reverse side of the
pillow."

"Goole (n.)
The puddle on the bar into which the barman puts your change."

"Massachusettes (pl. n.)
Those items and particles which people who, after blowing their
noses, are searching for when they look into their hankies."

A slightly expensive little paper back, but good enough and rare 
enough to grab up if you actually find a copy.

Ariel (I just reviews 'em) Shattan
..!tektronix!orca!ariels

p.s. the book is narrow, black with gold lettering, and has a large
orange sticker on the front which declares "THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE
YOUR LIFE".