DEBlog: I'm thinking of a book: my BAFAB contest #2 REVISED

Search

It's coming again:

I'm thinking of a book

Your job is to figure out what book it is. Ask yes or no questions in the comments to try to narrow it down. Everyone who leaves a question in the comments will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of the secret book.

Because I'd like participation to be broad (as opposed to one person, say, figuring things out after a spate of questions), please ask no more than two questions each. Your first question will win you one entry in the contest; your second question will win you a second entry.

In addition to asking two yes or no questions, anyone who's asked at least one question may take as many guesses as they'd like about the book, by providing the author's name and the book title in the comments.

The contest will be closed when the identity of the book has been discovered, after which I'll hold a drawing (using a random number generator). The winner of the drawing will win the book in question. The person who guesses the book correctly (providing author name and title), will win an extra three entries in the drawing (for a possible five total entries).

Got that? Okay, I'm thinking of a book. Ask me a question....

ADDED 4/9/2008: Because you people are having such trouble identifying this book (ahem), here's what I've decided to do:

I'll allow you to ask as many yes or no questions as you'd like. However, as before, you can only earn a maximum of two drawing entries for your questions. Anyone who's asked at least one yes or no question can make guesses about the book's author and title.

Comments

Cool, this is fun.
ok, question: Is it a children's book?

ANSWER: NO

(I'm glad you're enjoying this! I am too.)

Posted by: Valentina | April 02, 2008 at 02:09 PM

Is it fiction?

ANSWER: YES

Posted by: Tom | April 02, 2008 at 03:57 PM

Was it published in the twenty-first century?

Posted by: Eva | April 02, 2008 at 04:22 PM

Is it a YA book?

Posted by: Marg | April 02, 2008 at 07:40 PM

Is it women oriented?

Posted by: gautami tripathy | April 02, 2008 at 08:36 PM

Does it have a historical setting?

Posted by: Marg | April 02, 2008 at 09:51 PM

Was it written in the 19th century?

Posted by: Melissa | April 02, 2008 at 11:59 PM

is it written by a man?

Posted by: valentina | April 03, 2008 at 06:16 AM

Is it a Romance book?

Posted by: stephanie | April 03, 2008 at 10:10 AM

10.

Is it a mystery novel?

Posted by: Tom | April 03, 2008 at 03:31 PM

11.

Was it published after 1950?

Posted by: Megan | April 03, 2008 at 04:58 PM

12.

Was it published before 1990?

Posted by: Medbie | April 03, 2008 at 05:40 PM

13.

Is the author American?

Posted by: Stoney | April 03, 2008 at 05:46 PM

14.

And for my second question *insert drum roll here*

Has it ever been made into a movie (TV or cinema)?

ANSWER: NO (98% sure; a Google search, etc., turned up nothing)

Posted by: Medbie | April 03, 2008 at 05:49 PM

15.

Is the novel historical fiction?

Posted by: anne | April 04, 2008 at 01:27 PM

16.

Posted by: Susan | April 04, 2008 at 02:06 PM

17.

Aha! Is it "Deja Vu", by Ian Hocking?

Ooh, good guess. But no.

Posted by: Susan | April 04, 2008 at 02:07 PM

18.

I know! I know! That sometimes-cranky guy...Bill something...Liver...?sidge?...

NOPE! Keep 'em coming.... It's sitting here on my desk, waiting for someone.

Posted by: Susan | April 04, 2008 at 03:43 PM

19.

wild guess:
is it The wind-up bird chronicle by Murakami?

ANSWER: NOPE!

Posted by: valentina | April 04, 2008 at 04:36 PM

20.

IS it a family saga?

Posted by: anne | April 04, 2008 at 10:39 PM

21.

Is the author British?

Posted by: Tom | April 04, 2008 at 10:51 PM

22.

To summarize what we know...

It is adult fiction written by a non-American man between 1990 and 2000. It is not a mystery or historical fiction or romance. It is not a family saga. It has not been made into a movie.

It is not "Deja Vu", by Ian Hocking
It is not The wind-up bird chronicle by Murakami
It is not anything by Bill something...Liver...?sidge?...

Posted by: Tom | April 04, 2008 at 10:56 PM

23.

Is it an adventure novel?

Posted by: Nicole | April 05, 2008 at 02:38 AM

24.

Thanks for the summary, Tom! That's very handy.

Posted by: Debra Hamel | April 05, 2008 at 08:45 AM

25.

Has the author (or book) won any sort of prize?

(Rather an open question, that.)

Posted by: Megan | April 05, 2008 at 02:20 PM

26.

Is it any one of the thousands of books written by Alexander McCall Smith?

Posted by: Susan | April 05, 2008 at 04:39 PM

27.

Is it "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency"?

Posted by: Susan | April 05, 2008 at 04:40 PM

28.

"Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About" by Mil Millington? Hope so, and hope I win...I'd like to read that one...

ANSWER: NO!

You *should* read that one. He's so good. I know, our Ian is madly jealous of Millington, seethes at the thought of *another* English writer, but you should still read him.

You have, I believe, another regular question coming to you, no?

Posted by: Susan | April 05, 2008 at 08:43 PM

29.

Okay, it's a prize winning adult fiction written by a British male between the years 1990-2000. Not mystery, romance, historical fiction or family drama and hasn't been made into a movie.

And bother, I just thought of a question I should have asked you! Poo.

Anyway. . .
Is it one of my favorites:
Gideon Defoe's The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists? (I LOVE this book!)

By the way, I never said the book was prize-winning....

Posted by: Medbie | April 06, 2008 at 04:51 AM

30.

Is it something by Jeffrey Archer?

Posted by: Tom | April 06, 2008 at 11:13 AM

31.

Is it Ian McEwan?

Posted by: Terri | April 06, 2008 at 03:34 PM

32.

Is it science fiction?

Posted by: Tania Hershman/The ShortReview | April 06, 2008 at 03:48 PM

33.

Is the author Kazuo Ishiguro?

Posted by: Terri | April 06, 2008 at 05:40 PM

34.

Is it written in the first person?

Posted by: Kimmy | April 06, 2008 at 05:52 PM

35.

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time", by Mark Haddon?

Posted by: Susan | April 06, 2008 at 07:29 PM

36.

Ah, my bad, I misread the question--it was did the AUTHOR OR book win any sort of prize, to which you answered yes. I read too much into it, really!

So, how about The Discrete Charm of Charlie Monk by David Ambrose. I don't really think of it as a mystery, more of an adventure really and given how he's written screenplays, for all I know he could've won a prize somewhere. And besides, I totally dig that book too. :D

You guys need to narrow this down more! So many questions to ask....

I loved that book too, and if I'm not mistaken I owe my knowing about it to you.

Posted by: Medbie | April 06, 2008 at 11:00 PM

37.

Did you write a review of the book?

Good question.

Posted by: Tom | April 07, 2008 at 12:28 PM

38.

Did Ian Hocking review the book? (Thanks for the question idea, Tom!)

ANSWER: NO (At least, not to my knowledge.)

Posted by: Susan | April 07, 2008 at 05:20 PM

39.