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I have a problem with that title - Our Mutual Friend, indeed! Tom Send a noteboard - 02/11/2011 01:21:39 AM
"Mutual" means reciprocal. If Mr. Dickens had even the faintest notion as to how to properly use the English language, he would have named the book Our Common Friend or, if that made the friend sound too plebeian, he could have called it simply Our Friend. After all, the use of the possessive "our" already implies commonality of relationship.

*sniffs indignantly*
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps? Rebekah - 01/11/2011 08:10:09 AM 1748 Views
The Charles Dickens biography by Michael Slater Camilla - 01/11/2011 08:57:58 AM 1481 Views
I have a problem with that title - Our Mutual Friend, indeed! Tom - 02/11/2011 01:21:39 AM 1295 Views
Hahahhahahaha Camilla - 02/11/2011 06:04:28 AM 2504 Views
But Camilla - 02/11/2011 06:05:15 AM 1234 Views
And Camilla - 02/11/2011 06:38:56 AM 1376 Views
It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article. Tom - 02/11/2011 04:43:10 PM 1205 Views
Re: It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article. Camilla - 02/11/2011 05:16:15 PM 1303 Views
I finished The Secret Pilgrim by Le Carré (the last Smiley novel, if you can call it that) Camilla - 04/11/2011 08:41:50 PM 1213 Views
Finished the Charles Dickens biography (my challenge book) Camilla - 05/11/2011 08:23:13 AM 1431 Views
Finished Our Mutual Friend Camilla - 06/11/2011 12:03:32 PM 1313 Views
I started Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson Camilla - 13/11/2011 12:25:54 PM 1424 Views
I finished this book. Camilla - 14/11/2011 01:36:41 PM 1325 Views
Finished The Honourable Schoolboy Camilla - 22/11/2011 10:19:07 PM 1236 Views
Read Helen DeWitt's new book: Lightning Rods Camilla - 29/11/2011 09:33:43 AM 1367 Views
Middlemarch will probably take me a few weeks more. After that, we'll see. Legolas - 01/11/2011 10:32:21 AM 1375 Views
Read Tintentod, now reading Antony and Cleopatra (Goldsworthy, not Shakespeare). *NM* Legolas - 28/11/2011 09:35:13 PM 642 Views
Am falling back on Harry Dresden due to the pressures of studying. Tim - 01/11/2011 02:00:49 PM 1361 Views
Dresden also Spoticus - 02/11/2011 10:37:24 AM 1281 Views
I loved that one. Definitely the best I've read so far. *NM* Tim - 02/11/2011 10:43:01 AM 638 Views
My plans, such as they are. Rebekah - 01/11/2011 06:48:12 PM 1299 Views
I am doing well so far. Rebekah - 16/11/2011 05:38:14 PM 1216 Views
Complete Cosmicomics jh - 01/11/2011 06:58:59 PM 1245 Views
Nothing... not a thing. Jacob - 01/11/2011 07:28:51 PM 1283 Views
So, books. Stephen - 01/11/2011 10:08:00 PM 1297 Views
The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. *NM* Stephen - 05/11/2011 02:19:39 PM 650 Views
That is an excellent book Camilla - 05/11/2011 08:29:33 PM 1312 Views
It is. Stephen - 07/11/2011 06:17:34 PM 1312 Views
THe Great Gatsby. *NM* Stephen - 28/11/2011 02:26:14 PM 613 Views
Allow me to request a review of that one. I've long been thinking I need to read it. *NM* Legolas - 28/11/2011 09:35:48 PM 608 Views
I think it's Fitzgerald's weakest novel. Tom - 30/11/2011 05:34:42 PM 1330 Views
Back to Der Zauberberg. About halfway through now. Tom - 02/11/2011 01:17:32 AM 1309 Views
I don't know how I managed to read about 900 pages of German this month... Tom - 26/11/2011 10:33:52 PM 1234 Views
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps? DomA - 02/11/2011 08:07:11 PM 1553 Views
new Catherine Asaro book! Aeryn - 02/11/2011 08:22:15 PM 1341 Views
reading Temeraire Aeryn - 15/11/2011 05:50:45 PM 1322 Views
"Temeraire" was fun. Started on "Tumbling After" by Paul Witcover. *NM* Aeryn - 16/11/2011 06:32:50 PM 578 Views
Read "Broken Time" by Maggy Thomas/Emily Devenport. Really good! Aeryn - 30/11/2011 04:31:41 PM 1580 Views
Not too sure A Deathwatch Guard - 02/11/2011 09:48:44 PM 1331 Views
Yeesh, November already. nossy - 06/11/2011 12:28:51 PM 1324 Views
Have you read Old Custer by Eli Cash? Tom - 06/11/2011 04:06:33 PM 1308 Views
Nope. nossy - 06/11/2011 04:50:27 PM 1288 Views
Never mind. Tom - 06/11/2011 05:07:30 PM 1294 Views
Jen says " " *NM* snoopcester - 06/11/2011 09:02:20 PM 649 Views
Have you changed the water you're drinking? nossy - 08/11/2011 01:04:50 AM 1328 Views
Who needs water when you have vodka? Tom - 09/11/2011 07:01:26 PM 1240 Views
Proust. Larry - 06/11/2011 08:31:17 PM 1323 Views
School and fun Sir Tybalt - 16/11/2011 05:49:16 PM 1246 Views
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps? eromreven - 28/11/2011 04:16:33 AM 1470 Views
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