Thursday, 15 December 2011

Quiz Question

Here’s an extract from a book I’ve just read. It amused and intrigued me because the passage was written in 1937, yet arguably it has a modern resonance in these troubled economic times.

But the question is – do you know which book it appeared in? I will be very impressed if anyone knows the answer – but I’ll put you out of your misery tomorrow!

Here’s the quote:

“Why, this, country is on the skids properly now! With your taxes boosted practically to the British level, what do you do with them? The British use theirs to balance their budget, set their nation in order, pay for their necessary current running expenses; you use it for political bribery of the most corrupt kind and still pile up deficits twice or more as large as the increased taxes.”

Any ideas?

8 comments:

  1. karabekirus15 December 2011 at 08:18

    I do not know the answer but I will make a guess:
    It looks like Dashiell Hammett

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  2. Anonymous15 December 2011 at 09:11

    I must admit that I have no idea, Martin.

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  3. Uriah Robinson15 December 2011 at 09:20

    No real idea but it might be a book by Eric Ambler, or even Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.

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  4. J F Norris15 December 2011 at 14:57

    I would guess something by Anthony Wynne since he was obsessed with economics in his later career, but from the quote it seems like the speaker is talking to an American about the USA and tat the book is probably set in teh USA. Wynne only wrote about England and had no books set in the USA. I give up.

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  5. karabekirus15 December 2011 at 15:40

    I do not know the answer nut I will make a guess:
    This could be Dashiell Hammett.
    And how right he is!

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  6. aguja15 December 2011 at 20:22

    I don't know why I rushed to see what the quiz question is, because i do not enjoy quizzes ... I am not good at them.

    No, I do not know the answer, but I wish you a Happy Christmas, Martin, and a successful year ahead.

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  7. Anonymous15 December 2011 at 21:41

    A guess, but based on the fact that the last time (I remember) you posing a question about an author the answer was Francis Iles AND you've mentioned him in your last post - a crime writer's touch! - I would have to say, 'Francis Iles'. Also, didn't he have some unusual political views that never gained currency?

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  8. Martin Edwards15 December 2011 at 23:52

    Some excellent guesses here, thank you. And John, a very ingenious stab - but I have to admit that I haven't read any Wynne. Something I should remedy perhaps.
    Not long to wait for the answer now - a truly, truly obscure and hard to find book!

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