i would like to do one of those memes that make people guess their favourite novels from amazon's statistically improbable phrases, but i tried eleven of my favourites and they didn't have any of these stat. improb. phrases, and others i tried had results, but were impossible- turgenev's fathers and sons, for example, returned only "head butler." who could possibly guess that?

but here are some novels i do like which turned up words:

1. sliding padlock, erratic stone, lady vicar, big curtain
2. homo sentimentalis, brilliant ally, obscene truth, lute player, complete ass
3. nutshell drum, last visible dog, treacle brittle, rubbish mountains
4. lonely navigator, elm branch, stone ship
5. little grey man, jet brooch, drowned city, glass key
6. little debauch, crystal edifice, seven roubles, normal interests
7. brandy dealer, amber merchant, brandy cellar, stone pine
8. lance constable, angels rise, silver inkstand, good copper, cigar case
9. money spider, walking cases, pink gin, transport park, jig jig
10. ivory chessmen (everyone's going to get this one, or he or she is no friend of mine)