‘Uncle Ibrahim, what’s better, a monkey or a penguin?’
(…)
‘Well, there you go again,’ says Ibrahim. ‘Now, penguins are better than monkeys, because “penguin” is a very specific term, and “monkey” is very unspecific. If we say “monkey” then different people see different things, maybe a mandrill, maybe a little marmoset, whereas if you say “penguin” then we all picture the same thing. Words are very important; most people don’t know that, and the more specific a word is, the better it is.’
‘But is an actual penguin better than an actual monkey?’
Ibrahim thinks. ‘No animal is better than any other animal. We are all just a collection of atoms smashed together. Even people. Even trees.’
‘Even tigers?’
‘Even tigers.’
‘What are you doing?’ asks Kendrick, hopping. ‘Is it a puzzle?’
‘A crossword puzzle,’ says Ibrahim.
‘Is it boring or interesting?’
‘A bit of both,’ says Ibrahim. ‘That’s why I like it.’
Excerpts from the book:
The Man Who Died Twice (Richard Osman)
My notes: Some interesting and funny dialogues; the mystery in itself is a little simplistic. Fun ready.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
