copyright Claire Fuller
Classic Arguments
The library had only been closed a minute when the whispers began.
“You know, it is a universal truth that a single volume in possession of a beautiful cover, must be in want of a sequel.”
“Shut yer rot, Austen, ya gloopy devotchka.”
“Double plus right.”
“As God is my witness, I’m never going to listen to you all gripe again.”
“This is the best of nights, it is the worst of nights.”
Suddenly, from the corner of the library with primary colors and board books and beanbag chairs came a roar of fierce joy:
“Let the wild rumpus start!”
Previous Week Update:
On February 13, I posted the story The Wrong Tourist, about a person posing and getting their camera stolen. So, in a fit of meta-fiction, I went down and posed by the statue in the photo prompt, handing my camera to a stranger to take my picture. However, instead of a creepy old man, it was a young woman with a much better camera than mine, so I don’t think she would have wanted it.
This was taken back in February, when I still needed a coat.
The Green-Walled Tower 
April 24th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
A classic of a story! Rumpus Room… indeed!
Great stuff.
Randy
April 24th, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Your own “Where the Wild Things Are!” I enjoying coming here to read each week! Love your picture, too, BTW.
janet
April 24th, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Loved that story 😀
Also glad you didn’t get your camera stolen. I can’t believe someone would do that.
April 24th, 2013 at 9:40 pm
I can’t imagine anyone in Korea doing that. Of course, you get that one guy in a million…:)
April 24th, 2013 at 9:49 pm
I really loved this! It reminded me of Spike Milligan 🙂
April 24th, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Neat story.
Bit confused by ‘Previous Week Update’.
Is there a tie in?
April 24th, 2013 at 10:11 pm
Sorry, it’s just that back in February, the photo prompt was one I had taken of a statue. In my story that week, the narrator had his camera stolen while posing for a picture. So, I went and posed by this statue, in imitation of the story. I shouldn’t have waited so long to share this picture, but I kept forgetting.
April 24th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Liked the idea 🙂
Achilles and you look good.
April 24th, 2013 at 11:14 pm
What a thought that is, the whispering of books in the dark… Well done.
April 25th, 2013 at 12:11 am
Loved it
too bad it couldnt have been longer so we could have heard the voices of more books)
April 25th, 2013 at 12:22 am
Yeah, really. This could get really interesting. 100 words is just enough for a taste.
April 25th, 2013 at 1:40 am
Love, love, love this! Especially cos you started with Austen 😀
April 25th, 2013 at 6:10 pm
It seemed like a good place to start. That’s one of the best opening lines ever, in my opinion (the original, that is). She’s a great writer.
April 25th, 2013 at 1:50 am
David… I absolutely love your story about the books coming alive at night when the library is dark and deserted. I wish I had thought of that.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Thank you Ted. There are some books I’d like to have a conversation with. Others…might be pretty creepy.
April 25th, 2013 at 1:52 am
Thank you for posting the photo of the statue… great to see from another angle, I thought it was pretty cool. I like that you are in it too… good thinking, asking someone with a better camera. Also, nice to see what you look like.
April 25th, 2013 at 2:47 am
Well done, David. Your stories are always a pleasure. I bet books could have quite a fulfilling and meaningful conversation.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Hopefully they wouldn’t be as ornery as in this story. 🙂
April 25th, 2013 at 3:08 am
This is probably going to be my favorite one this week, David. There is a part of me that is convinced that books have a life of their own. Well written, and great fun in the reading.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Thank you so much. It’s interesting how each book has a distinctive voice and personality. It would interesting to write a longer piece and develop them all more. Get a Stephen King book in here, maybe the Odyssey…:)
April 25th, 2013 at 3:29 am
Agreeing with praise in previous comments… well done. Love the picture also. This one was my first with Friday Fictioneers (the statue one), so it was great to see it again. 🙂
April 25th, 2013 at 4:55 am
Loved this, even though I couldn’t identify all the volumes… I could definitely hear them arguing.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:05 pm
They are: Pride and Prejudice; Clockwork Orange; 1984; Gone with the Wind; and Where the Wild Things Are. I’m not even sure I’ve read the last one myself, but I found the quote and it worked here.
April 25th, 2013 at 9:06 am
a very imaginative idea:) enjoyed this:)
April 25th, 2013 at 9:09 am
I love the way you pulled several strands and weaved one little story – this is, for me, one of your best FF 🙂
April 25th, 2013 at 6:02 pm
This is one of my favorites too.
April 25th, 2013 at 10:05 am
It really wouldn’t surprise me if those books had chats after hours 🙂
April 25th, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Hopefully there would be more harmony between them. There’s a lot of collective genius in all those books.
April 25th, 2013 at 10:33 am
haha this is awesome and crazy. loved it.
April 25th, 2013 at 11:52 am
Reminds me of the Museum movies where the statuary and bones come to life once a year. Excellent.
I like the photo to. I had to go back and read the linked story. I joined the group a bit later. Thanks for the the link back.
April 25th, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Yeah, the story had that kind of vibe for me too. I was going to call it Night at the Library, but I thought that it was too derivative. Glad you liked it. 🙂
April 25th, 2013 at 5:48 pm
Dear David,
As God is my witness, I really enjoyed your story. ;). Thank you for sharing the photo. Nice to see what you look like. I remember the statue and your story.
shalom,
Rochelle
April 25th, 2013 at 6:01 pm
I used to wonder if my toys came alive at night after I was asleep – but books coming alive is even better! I might get rid of the Aleister Crowley ones first though 🙂 Great story!
April 25th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I might have to lock up my H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King too if they really did. 🙂 Some books are best contained between their covers.
April 25th, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Look forward to more dark nights spent in your special library–very clever.
April 26th, 2013 at 9:02 am
True to the title 🙂 good job.
April 26th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Very original take on the prompt and very entertainingly done!
April 26th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Enjoyed the story as well as the post-script!
April 26th, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Got me scared! I’d have to close the door to my study the minute it gets organised with all the books out and on shelves.
April 26th, 2013 at 8:45 pm
You know, I don’t normally “LOL” – especially on someone elses wall – but I’m not sure how else to explain what a delight it was to read this!
April 27th, 2013 at 9:37 am
Thank you. It would take a lot for me to LOL too. 🙂
April 26th, 2013 at 10:48 pm
Like ‘Night at the Museum’ but with books! Of course, I’d love to think books have a life of their own, but I can’t imagine how much fun they’d have squashed up in my Kindle!
April 27th, 2013 at 9:36 am
They would all be really cozy in a Kindle. 🙂
April 27th, 2013 at 1:57 am
Love, love, love it! This is my kind of story. I want to read the next chapter. 🙂
April 27th, 2013 at 9:36 am
Thank you! I have some ideas for a longer story based on this idea. If/when I write it, I’ll let you know. 🙂
April 27th, 2013 at 5:47 am
What a grand idea. I can imagine the sections of our bookshelf having a good old row!
April 28th, 2013 at 5:20 am
What an interesting literary discussion. As much as I love Jane, I think she deserved the reprimand. And Sendak… what a way to end the pretentiousness of the elders! 😉
Neat to see the statue again, as well as the writer who sent in the original photo.
April 28th, 2013 at 10:22 am
Thank you. I do like the joyous rambunctiousness of children’s literature.
April 28th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
What a clever, delightful idea from a quirky guy. Loved every word of it. Please do a sequel.
April 28th, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Thank you. I’m actually planning it right now. 🙂
April 28th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Ah, I finally get to see one of my favorite authors.
Thank you for the picture, Mr. Stewart!
April 28th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Thank you kindly. If I ever get my Youtube project up and running (looking for a good video camera) you’ll see a lot more of me.
April 28th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
That is awesome! I love it!
April 29th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Lol, David. “Night at the Library”. I love it.
I would have liked the story but for some reason my like button is not loading. Please consider yourself “liked”!
April 29th, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Thanks. Will do. 🙂
April 30th, 2013 at 6:00 am
A really good take on the children’s nursery at night. Made me smile.
May 2nd, 2013 at 3:07 pm
good one 🙂
May 10th, 2013 at 7:33 pm
[…] a longer story based on my Classics Arguments […]