I have something between a casual and a fervent interest in the phenomenon of palindromes. You know, that's a word or a sentence or sometimes a bit of poetry that reads the same backwards as forwards. My interest is less than burning, not quite acute but perhaps somewhere near keen.
One of the most famous palindromes is the title of today's post, Madam I'm Adam, sometimes imagined as the first words between humans in the Garden of Eden.
The gold standard of palindromes is undoubtedly A man, a plan, a canal, Panama! which is as brief a history lesson on its construction as you could want. (Ed note: The "man" was George Washington Goethals, chief engineer of the Canal, appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907).
Another well known example is Napoleon's lament, Able was I ere I saw Elba.
Some of my favorite palindrome words include Racecar, Radar, Civic, Level, Eye, and of course, both Mom and Dad.
Poking around the Web, you'll find quite a few palindrome enthusiasts but some of their work sounds more strained than elegant:
Too bad - I hid a boot.
Rats Live on no evil star.
May a moody baby doom a yam?
Go deliver a dare, vile dog!
Ah, Satan sees Natasha
(and my favorite/most convoluted,)
Lisa Bonet ate no basil.
Being the Christmas season, I thought this palindrome would be right
A Santa at Nasa
Posted by: Raul | December 11, 2007 at 09:17 AM
What about:
Rise to vote, sir!
Show some good citzenship Bean.
My name is a palindrome.
Posted by: Vic Rattler | December 11, 2007 at 09:30 AM
Awesome palindromes!
Since you are quite versed in vocabulary;
perhaps you would like to play a game that
could perhaps help feed hungry people?
http://www.freerice.com/index.php
By playing the rice/vocabulary game advertisers donate money and have the United Nations World Food Program distribute the rice you earn.
It's a win/win situation.
Posted by: Mayren | December 11, 2007 at 09:45 AM
i hope you've seen this:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j_pYYff7qP0
weird al's genius song/video all about palindromes.
Posted by: stace | December 11, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Evil is a deed as i live.
Posted by: Chandra | December 11, 2007 at 12:24 PM
Bean I love you!!! Do you have the same fasination with Anagrams or alliterations?
Posted by: Edmund F | December 11, 2007 at 02:10 PM
"Strained" is definitely the word.
Tiff
Posted by: Tiffiny | December 11, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Isn't there a book that is written completely as a palindrome?
Posted by: Joe | December 11, 2007 at 03:46 PM
Bean, how could you not mention butt tub????
Posted by: Matt | December 11, 2007 at 06:51 PM
I'm lucky enough to have married a palindrome: Hannah. We both love this fact.
Posted by: Jr | December 13, 2007 at 02:39 PM
I'm lucky enough to have married a palindrome: Hannah. We both love this fact.
Posted by: Jr | December 13, 2007 at 02:40 PM
Hey Bean, I have a different kind of palindrome fascination, and it's with time instead of words. For some odd reason, when I look at my digital watch or phone display, at least once a day, if not more, I see the time randomly, if not coincidentally presented in a palidromic fashion (10:01, 9:59) and on my digital watch, I'll wait until it 10:44:01 sometimes if it's within 5-10 seconds in range. Weird, I know but it's just something that evolved from the strange coincidence I had daily with always watching my cell phone giving me a palindrome time.
Posted by: John E | December 13, 2007 at 10:42 PM
GATEMAN, sides reversed, is NAMETAG
And that sentence is a palindrome as well
Posted by: Rob1118 | December 18, 2007 at 03:13 PM