Mind Twister 29 – Queen of Hearts in a Hobbit-hole
In the long run, the main characters of classic stories frequently become much better known than their creators. For example, Alice – from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – and the Hobbits – from J.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and its Lord of the Rings-sequel – these characters presently have higher name recognition than their creators. Lately, the retired characters (with their creators long gone) appear to seek out new opportunities to make themselves heard and useful again; Alice – now the Queen of Hearts in a Hobbit-hole Society – seeks to prioritize the fight against global warming.
Mind Twister 30 ‒ Retaliation by Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes
Fallen out with their original creators, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot have teamed up to seek retribution for their sufferings. The charges filed against Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and their literary estates include coercion into addiction to substance abuse, psychological torture and sustained cruelty, resulting in a range of ailments including suicidal thoughts due to post traumatic stress disorder. The charges are corroborated by the detectives’ respective long-time aides-de-camp, Watson and Hastings.
Mind Twister 31 ‒ The Dupin Files: Hercule Poirot
Recently, detective Chevalier C. Auguste has been retained in the service of his great friends and successors, Mr. Hercule Poirot and Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Dupin’s mission is quite simple: lay bare the basis for their claims, uncover any cover-up attempts by third parties, and document in minute detail his findings, applying rigorously the method of ratiocination. Focusing on Poirot’s case, detective Dupin uncovers some unsavory details about Agatha Christie’s treatment of her legendary creation.
Mind Twister 32 ‒ The Dupin Files: Sherlock Holmes
Applying the method of ratiocination to corroborate with evidence the claims made by Sherlock Holmes in his court filing against Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, private detective Auguste Dupin ‒ who was trained in his craft and the method of ratiocination by no one less than Edgar Allan Poe ‒ uncovers some salient facts concerning Doyle’s treatment of his most famous creation.
Mind Twister 36 – Mesmerized by Coetzee
John Coetzee delivered one of the most audacious Nobel Laureate lectures on record. He took his audience all the way back to the romantic times of Daniel Defoe. Coetzee’s lecture appears a very taxing piece of writing and to Maxwell seemingly lacks utility; then his psychiatrist steps in to defend Coetzee’s reputation.
Mind Twister 39 ‒ Newtonian Dream
Hooke and Leibniz were chasing Newton across the corridors of the Royal Society of London (founded in 1660); Newton appeared covered in tar and feathers. In their pursuit, Hooke and Leibniz were joined by Freeman Dyson, who had passed only recently. With great vigor, Dyson raided the premises of the Royal Society. He was pulling down a famous portrait of Newton, one where Isaac is 46 years old (painted in 1689). Dyson also tore down a second frame of Newton’s image, where he was 60 years old (also painted by Godfrey Kneller, in 1702).