I got the greatest deal at Wal*Mart (of course) the other day. They had the new special edition The Princess Bride DVD and it came with the actual Princess Bride hardcover book by S. Morgenstern all for $14.78 or something. Fabulous! I love a good deal.
I brought my new purchases home and promptly opened my new book and started to read. I've seen the movie hundreds of times, who hasn't right? I had never read the book. I started with the introduction by the author, William Goldman who abridged the original by Morgenstern. He talked about taking his son's son to Florin city to research Morgenstern's sequel Buttercups Baby. He talked about the Morgenstern Museum and then suggested that we read the one finished abridged chapter (he hasn't finished the rest of the book owing to problems with the Morgenstern estate) of Buttercup's Baby at the end of the book to better understand his introduction. I obliged. It was okay. I went back to the introduction and continued with Goldman's intro. He went into all the details of the Museum, Buttercups wedding dress is on display there, a mold of Fezziks hand (massive BTW), the six-fingered sword, yada yada yada.
I was enthralled! I had never realized it was all true! I couldn't wait to hop on the trusty Internet to research it more. That's what I do. I find an interesting topic (DaVinci, Hystiocytosis, Britannic, Kabuki Syndrome) and learn as much as I can about it via Internet explorer.
Sitting here this morning, I got my chance. The boys are watching Saturday morning cartoons and I have Trevor's laptop mostly to myself (Abby keeps hitting random keys). I search Florin: it's a unit of money. I search The Princess Bride: plenty of info on the book and movie. Not what I'm looking for. I search Morgenstern Museum: nothing. Weird. I search S. Morgenstern and here's the kicker. He's not real. No such guy, EVER. Evidently, The Princess Bride is a book within a book. A made up story about a sick boy (a young Goldman) being read Morgensterns story by his father. In fact, I find out that this Goldman guy doesn't even have a son. He has two daughters. There was no trip to Florin city with a supposed grandson. All lies.
I'm such a sucker. I figured introductions were true insights into the author or story or whatever. But wait. It get's worse than just a moment of self embarrassment.
We had friends over last night. Heather and Kirk. They saw my book and we started talking. No one has read the book. I haven't either but was happy to add all my new insight on how it's all true. There was really a Vizzini and really a Prince Humperdink (seriously Brenda, a real Humperdink?). I ranted on and on about the museum with all the relicts of their story. How there's an unpublished sequel and Goldman can't get his hands on it to abridge as he did The Princess Bride. Oh, the shame. And I have to face these people at church tomorrow.
I'm a fool. I pride myself on not being a very gullible person. There's no pride anymore. Nope. None at all. I'm still going to read it. Why not. It's a classic right? But I'm bitter at William Goldman. That was a nasty little game. And I've got your number now, dude. There's no problem with the Morgenstern estate. You just have a serious case of writers block and can't find a storyline for Buttercups Baby. Take that! Ya. Take that you... filthy millionaire. I... showed... you.
14 comments:
Wow, that's embaressing! I've got a couple of really great "non-fiction" books that would blow your mind. (I'm joking around incase you couldn't pick up on it)
Hey Brenda, this isn't related to your post, although I am very sorry for your shame. :)
I was making my Christmas card list and want to add you. Send me your address! Just email it to me: sally at byu.edu
Thanks!
Merry Christmas
Thats precious Brenda...Whose to say that wouldnt have happened to the whole lot of us. You are not alone in the land of the gullible.
Hands down I would have fallen for it! I am SO gullible and I hate it. Kyle gets me all the time, I'm only now starting to catch on to his methods and I'm 32!! And since I'm such an idiot, he can never leave well enough alone.
Great, funny post though. Sure it was at your expense but still....=)
haha. That book is one of my favorites. Even better than the movie (which I love). I was suprised when I learned it was all a fake, too. :)
No shame!!! We were all sucked in with you!! That's so funny, I'm now thinking back on the conversation about a real giant etc.. I was just waiting for you to read the part about the REAL R.O.U.S.s!!! Thanks for a great evening of pizza and Pinochle! Did you get the books I left on your porch?
I was totally believing it!
I would have done the same exact thing!
I love it! I would've totally fallen for it! Don't worry, she'll forgive you, just think you're a sucker but still, gotta love church friends!! I love the movie BTW, could quote it from start to finish at one point...
Oh, now that's funny. I also bought it last week. I also watched it 100+ times. I knew every line. So I was reading the beginning of your post about the museum and how it's all true, and I was like, What? Oh, Brenda, yes, you are gullible.
Oh, and let's talk about how Wesley was my boyfriend. LOVED HIM.
Oh, now that's funny. I also bought it last week. I also watched it 100+ times. I knew every line. So I was reading the beginning of your post about the museum and how it's all true, and I was like, What? Oh, Brenda, yes, you are gullible.
Oh, and let's talk about how Wesley was my boyfriend. LOVED HIM.
I saw your sweet deal at Walmart when I was shopping tonight. I saw the book and dvd and well, I walked away laughing. Thanks I needed it! =)
You're not the only gullible person who fell for that...I just did the same exact thing and tried to research it all. I'm sure a lot of people fell for it...and I was quite excited thinking that it was all true. Some one needs to give him a good slap for making it all up and fooling people.
I feel your pain. My son gave me the book and DVD for Christmas. My whole family knows of my love of this movie. So I start reading and telling everyone everything I'm "learning." And they kept saying I thought he wrote the story for his daughters? I should have known.
But I wanted it to be real! Glad to know I wasn't alone.
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