CRAIG CONLEY (Prof. Oddfellow) is recognized by Encarta as “America’s most creative and diligent scholar of letters, words and punctuation.” He has been called a “language fanatic” by Page Six gossip columnist Cindy Adams, a “cult hero” by Publisher’s Weekly, a “monk for the modern age” by George Parker, and “a true Renaissance man of the modern era, diving headfirst into comprehensive, open-minded study of realms obscured or merely obscure” by Clint Marsh. An eccentric scholar, Conley’s ideas are often decades ahead of their time. He invented the concept of the “virtual pet” in 1980, fifteen years before the debut of the popular “Tamagotchi” in Japan. His virtual pet, actually a rare flower, still thrives and has reached an incomprehensible size. Conley’s website is OneLetterWords.com.
This is eerily similar to how my own authorship is inspired, though I've not yet captured photographic evidence. "The Fairy Queen about to inspire the Author." From The Kingdom of the Good Fairies by Adrienne Roucolle, 1898.
We're honored by the latest review of our highly unusual guide to tracing one's weirdest ancestors, Heirs to the Queen of Hearts:
A delightful collage of carefully curated quotes, relevant and whimsical illustrations plucked right out of history, and thought-provoking original prose, Heirs to the Queen of Hearts made me laugh out loud regularly, gave me old-fashioned practical advice as well as avant-garde practical advice, and echoed many sentiments that had been kicking around in my head. It was an excellent source of new perspectives as well as a fine reinforcement of perspectives I already held, but appreciated some confirmation of. A breezy and approachable read, Heirs to the Queen of Hearts nonetheless packs plenty of punch in the conceptual arena, and is absolutely a purchase well worth your time and money. —K.G.
You may recall our 3-minute proof that you are related to Merlin:
Benjamin Disraeli (as the Ghost of Christmas Present) shows William Gladstone (as Dickensian Scrooge) Queen Victoria's Christmas dinner with peoples of the British Empire, 1886.
"It seems our pretty young royals are shrinking before our eyes" (A Current Affair, July 13, 2011). Pictured, Brisbane decorates for Queen Elizabeth II in 1954.
Here's a template for a fancy Elizabethan-themed ball, based upon an old Scottish design. This will also be of interest:The Collected Lost Meanings of Christmas.
It's been said that "a conjecture is 'rich in content' if it 'sticks its neck out'" (Biometrics, 1982). Here's something rich in content that's sticking its neck out. From Judy, Or The London Serio-Comic Journal, 1887.