Three Cheers for the Alphabet

When I was in high school, our English teacher was trying to explain why it was so important to expand your vocabulary, reading and speaking skills. He told us, "Try to think about something without using any words." You may bring an image to mind, but any further thought requires some language. It's an interesting point. What would happen if you tried to write a book without using the letters of the alphabet? Our new librarian, Terry, was telling me about such a book. I'll explain.

Ella Minnow Pea:(pronounced like a 1st grader reciting "L M N O P")a Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable by Mark Dunn was published in 2001. The book is set in a fake town off the Coast of South Carolina where the inventor of "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog". A monument in town holds this sentence and as each letter falls off, no one in the town is allowed to use that letter. As the book progresses, less and less letters are available to use.
What a fun and challenging way to write a book! Terry said it was a lot of fun and very quirky. I can't wait to read it.