mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
It’s been a very long time since I dropped some objects in the blog. You guys seemed to enjoy them, so I thought it high time for a revival. If you’ve missed our past installments, the idea of Found Objects is pretty simple: I post some sort of visual representation of an object, equation, theory or idea that inspired or made its way into a book, film, song, poem, or painting. Your job is to name it and tell us where it’s found.
This humorous one comes from a pretty well known book: (And remember: no Googling or Internet searching of any kind!)
Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
posted by Kate on 1-24-2007 at 8:46 am
Red Swingline STAPLER from the Milton cartoons by Mike Judge.
posted by kathleen on 1-24-2007 at 9:06 am
“Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” Great book - I’m a sucker for stories about themselves.
posted by Devin Henkel on 1-24-2007 at 9:11 am
A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius–Introduction I believe
posted by Gerry on 1-24-2007 at 9:18 am
Kate takes it first! Mazel tov! Oh, and funny Kathleen, wrong, but very funny reference!
posted by David on 1-24-2007 at 9:52 am
Though not humorous the first thing that came to mind was “For a Foggy Night” by Larry Niven. OK, no cigar?
TANJ. (From Larry Niven …. There ain’t no justice.)
posted by fred on 1-24-2007 at 10:02 am
As soon as I saw that I immediately got “Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler…” stuck in my head.
posted by Milica on 1-24-2007 at 10:38 am
I knew immediately that it was A Hearbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers, as I use that quote often. Sometimes, if I can’t think of what to say, I draw a stapler and hand it to someone and say, “Here’s a drawing of a stapler.”
posted by Abi on 1-24-2007 at 3:49 pm
Congrats Fred!
I remembered the Niven story about the guy who goes to an alternate world, and invents the stapler. But I could not recall the name of the story. Thanks. You are a wise person of culture!
posted by Pierre on 1-24-2007 at 11:19 pm
Uhhhhh. Visual representation of an object? Looks like it’s a stapler. And it was in a book? Prolly in a book about staplers. What do I win?
posted by Amanda on 1-25-2007 at 3:49 pm
Office Space.
posted by Peace Corps Volunteer on 1-26-2007 at 6:06 am