The book dialog game

[pdurrant]

OK, here's a snip from an alternative history story, although it might possibly be considered the first steam-punk novel, even though I don't think the term was invented until well after its publication in 1972. Title and author, please.

"[...] It was then that the tunnel project was first voiced, a project large enough to affect and stimulate the entire economy of both Britain and the American colonies. Yet its very size was its only drawback; not enough private capital could be raised to finance it. It was then that the final, incredible step was taken. Crown financing would be needed." He lowered his voice unconsciously. "The queen was consulted."

[HomeInMyShoes]

I should know this. Think. Come on neurons, I can hear you fizzling and popping, do something.

[pdurrant]

"Gentlemen, my only aim is to save the tunnel, and this is the plan that I put before you. [...]"
[...]
"We will abandon the present technique of construction and proceed in a different, cheaper, faster way that will have a broader base in the economy. Which stirring up of the economy, I believe, was one of the motivating factors in the first place."

"Does Sir Isambard know of this? Macintosh called out, [...]

[poohbear_nc]

I know it too! Brain is refusing to cooperate! Must not Google!

[pdurrant]

I won't post another quote until tomorrow morning. Probably more like mid-day.

[The Terminator]

Well it's been dead for awhile so lets get it going again.

"O.K.," said (Person 1). "An’ you ain’t gonna do no bad things like you done in Weed, neither."

(Person 2) looked puzzled. "Like I done in Weed?"

"Oh, so ya forgot that too, did ya? Well, I ain’t gonna remind ya, fear ya do it again."

A light of understanding broke on (Person 2)'s face.

"They run us outa Weed," he exploded triumphantly.

"Run us out, hell," said (Person 1) disgustedly. "We run. They was lookin’ for us, but they didn’t catch us."

(Person 2) giggled happily. "I didn’t forget that, you bet."

[Kevin8or]

Of Mice and Men, is what it feels like to me.

[The Terminator]

Take it away.

[pdurrant]

Apologies to everyone for dropping the ball. I have no idea on that one. Looking forward to Kevin8or's choice.

[Kevin8or]

I blanked out a word that would give it away.

Perhaps the summertime suggests to you thoughts of the country, visions of green fields and mountains and sparkling lakes. It had no such suggestion to the people in the yards.

The great packing machine ground on remorselessly, without thinking of green fields, and the men and women and children who were part of it never saw any green thing, not even a flower.

They were tied to the great packing machine, and tied to it for life.

[The Terminator]

The Time Machine? Only book I can think of that has Machine in the title.

[Kevin8or]

All day long this man would toil thus, his whole being centered upon the purpose of making twenty-three instead of twenty-two and a half cents an hour; and then his product would be reckoned up by the census taker, and jubilant captains of industry would boast of it in their banquet halls, telling how our workers are nearly twice as efficient as those of any other country. If we are the greatest nation the sun ever shone upon, it would seem to be mainly because we have been able to goad our wage-earners to this pitch of frenzy.

[Kevin8or]

Worst of any, however, were the fertilizer men, and those who served in the cooking rooms. These people could not be shown to the visitor,--for the odor of a fertilizer man would scare any ordinary visitor at a hundred yards, and as for the other men, who worked in tank rooms full of steam, and in some of which there were open vats near the level of the floor, their peculiar trouble was that they fell into the vats; and when they were fished out, there was never enough of them left to be worth exhibiting,--sometimes they would be overlooked for days, till all but the bones of them had gone out to the world as Durham's Pure Leaf Lard!

[pdurrant]

Sorry, no idea.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Kevin8or

Worst of any, however, were the fertilizer men, and those who served in the cooking rooms. These people could not be shown to the visitor,--for the odor of a fertilizer man would scare any ordinary visitor at a hundred yards, and as for the other men, who worked in tank rooms full of steam, and in some of which there were open vats near the level of the floor, their peculiar trouble was that they fell into the vats; and when they were fished out, there was never enough of them left to be worth exhibiting,--sometimes they would be overlooked for days, till all but the bones of them had gone out to the world as Durham's Pure Leaf Lard!

Upton Sinclair - The Jungle!