Many books come to life | The Telegraph

Mrs. Cool Kid was reading the popular potboiler “The Girl On the Train” when I suggested we take a drive up to Atlanta.

“Why?” she asked.

So we could jump on Marta, I explained. Then she could read the book and she’d be the girl on the train reading “The Girl On the Train.”

My better one-third scoffed.

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But that kind of thing happens all the time. Oh. I lie, you say?

You don’t think “Carrie” was beloved by every Carrie?

You don’t think libraries still have “Gone With the Wind” on their shelves? Ever hear of tornadoes? “Gone With the Wind” was definitely gone with the wind at some point — and maybe even some time.

What if you couldn’t read “Catch-22” — you could only re-read it?

What would three men in a boat take with them to pass the time?

Editor’s note: You didn’t say anything about the dog.

Cool Kid’s note: That’s a good one, boss man.

Who made “A Confederacy of Dunces” a best-seller?

And while I’m posing by posing these preposterous questions, here’s another: Why is potboiler a synonym for an exciting book but watching a pot boil is a metaphor for a boring task?

And if “if” and “buts” were candy and nuts, wouldn’t every day be Christmas?

That’d be nice. I like Christmas.

Except last Christmas.

How the Grinch stole “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” puzzles me still. I had my guard up for that pesky bandito.