Book I’m pretending to read at the British Library today:
‘A List of Post Offices In Pakistan (corrected up to 31-5-74)’
So, if you happen to be reading this in Dhari Sayyadan, Jhelum, in 1974, (possibly after a ‘Life on Mars’ style accident), and are hoping to send a telegram, I can exclusively advise you not to get your hopes up. Telegrams are not accepted. Sorry about that.
Thursday, 11 January 2007
But try the one in Jail Road, Lahore.
Posted by John Finnemore at 11:24 am
Labels: Thrilling Library Yarns
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3 comments:
seeing as you've picked up the taste for obscure books, did you read about the watrtime publisher turned spy at Springer-Verlag?
"...[Editor Paul] Rosbaud found that encoded messages could be sent using the text of published books. He spotted that authors, as vain creatures, tended to study the first editions of their works closely but were much less scrupulous with later editions. Words could be rearranged and even inserted in these without alerting suspicion. The books could be obtained by agents in neutral countries, and then shipped to MI6 headquarters in London for decoding"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2506830,00.html
maybe the fact that Dhari Sayyadan, Jhelum (alledgedly) doesn't accept telegrams holds greater significance than we realise?
No, I didn't, but I'm glad I do now! Thank you.
Oh John ! so you are a spy !?
waow, brilliant !
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