whole nine yards

[Stephen Goranson]

With due respect, to the best of my knowledge, having read both books, and as I
have written here before, the books are different. In the 1967 book on page 161
in the hardback edition and page 140 in the paperback edition I read:
"Most Americans enjoyed getting the full nine yards that is included in the
French barber's reperoire." [including trim, shampoo, shave, massage]
On page 173 (=p. 150 pb): "God, the first thing in the early pearly morning and
the last thing at night. Beds all over the gahdam house. The whole nine yards."

In the 1991 book page 68, but not in the 1967 book:
"Smash had been married for over twenty years. But because of the many long and
frequent TDYs away from home and 'irreconcilable differences,' he had chosen to
split the sheets. Slipping out of the knot was expensive but Smash eventually
untangled the whole nine yards."

Stephen Goranson

Quoting "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>
> Subject:      Re: whole nine yards
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I think there are two, not three, relevant
> >passages in The Doom Pussy, published in 1967.
>
> There are three in the 1967 edition, the same three as in the 1991
> revision, IIRC. Wording differs slightly, IIRC.
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>