Newsletter 1

The One Where We Use FRIENDS Titles to Explain Books

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Deepali Agarwal

Staff Writer

Deepali Agarwal has a Master’s in literary linguistics, which means that every person she’s ever known has, at some point, asked her to ‘edit a thing’ for them-- ‘just see if it reads okay?’ She doesn’t mind, because she believes that the world can be fixed one oxford comma at a time. Deepali lives in Delhi, the capital of India, where cows are sacred, but authors and poets exist and write brilliant things. She works as an editor with OUP India’s School ELT division, where she moves apostrophes, looks up pictures of cats, and talks about children’s books for eight hours. The rest of her day is spent reading, thinking about Parks and Recreation, and wondering if there exist jobs for English majors that pay more than peanuts. Twitter: @DeepaliAgarwal_

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine had one of those moments where the most obvious of book titles wasn’t coming to her. We were talking about female authors with male pseudonyms, and she went ‘you know, the one with the river… and the inappropriate siblings!’

I might’ve laughed more than I needed to, because all I could think about was Rachel and Danny… and his ‘inappropriate sister’; NOT The Mill on the Floss, like normal people.

So…

Started from the bottom, now we here.
I present to you 9 books explained through FRIENDS episode titles.

1. ‘Both of them are here? Both of them? Both of them are here?’

The Great Gatsby FRIENDS mashup

Two parties friends

2. Christian Grey meets Ms Chanandler Bong.

Fifty Shades Freed FRIENDS mashup    Chandler Cuffs

3. Presented without comment.

gone girl friends mashup

Friends the one after I do

4. Science Boy versus Bruce Wayne

Batman FRIENDS mashup

Phoebe Science Boy

5. Aah, Joey and Rachel.

atonement friends mashup

Joey Rachel FRIENDS

6.  I had to do this, despite my Jane Eyre-love.

jane eyre charlotte bronte FRIENDS mashup

Monica secret closet

7.  May the Potterverse forgive me.

harry potter prisoner of azkaban FRIENDS mashup

Tea leaves friends

8. ‘Salmon skin roll!’

The Old Man and the Sea FRIENDS mashup

Danger Ross Friends

9. Janice: Come on, over the years none of you ever… y’know, got drunk and stupid?

girl on the train friends mashup

Hit me with your best ones, people!