Scribblings
{{Short description|1972 collection of writings by L. Sprague de Camp}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book |
| name = Scribblings
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Scribblings.JPG
| caption = first edition of Scribblings
| author = L. Sprague de Camp
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = M.H. Keith
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Science fiction
| publisher = NESFA Press
| release_date = 1972
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print (hardback)
| pages = 95 pp
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
Scribblings is a 1972 collection of writings by American author L. Sprague de Camp to celebrate his appearance as Guest of Honor at Boskone IX, a convention sponsored by the New England Science Fiction Association. The Association served as publisher.{{cite book | last=Laughlin | first=Charlotte |author2=Daniel J. H. Levack | title=De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography | location=San Francisco | publisher=Underwood/Miller | year=1983 | pages=89–90}}"[http://www.nesfa.org/press/Books/deCamp-0.html]" - publication information at NESFA Press
The book contains short works of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and aphorisms. Among the stories are the complete set of de Camp's four short "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series of tall tales.
Contents
- "A Word of Explanation" (introduction)
- Probability Zero
- "The Effects of Time Travel" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
- "The Negative Wugug" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
- "The Moveable Ears" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
- "The Lusts of Professor Adams" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
- Jingles
- "Preferences" (poem)
- "Carnac" (poem)
- "The Elephant" (poem)
- "Leaves" (poem)
- "The Trap" (poem)
- "The Newt" (poem)
- "African Night" (poem)
- "A Night Club in Cairo" (poem)
- "Xeroxing the Necromonicon" (poem)
- It Might Interest You to Know
- "How to Hunt Dinosaurs" (essay)
- "Pfui on Psi" (essay on psychic powers)
- "Lost Cities" (essay)
- "Government Bug-Hunter" (essay on Clinton Hart Merriam)
- "Three Thirds of a Hero" (poem)
- "Books That Never Were" (essay on lost and imaginary books)
- "Aphorisms" (aphorisms)