One of the books for the
accu
charity book stall is my copy of
Extreme Programming Explained by Kent Beck (1st edition).
One of the entries in its bibliography is a quote from The Princess Bride.
Buttercup and Westley are about to enter the Fire Swamp and face it's three terrors: the Flame Spurts, the Lightning Sand, and the Rodents Of Unusual Size (R.O.U.S.'s).
Buttercup says to Westley (Kent misquotes slightly here):
We'll never survive
and Westley replies:
Nonsense - you're only saying that because no one ever has.
I just love this line. And I love Kent's idea of putting a film quote in the bibliography. I love that it's in the bibliography in a section called "Attitude". I think Kent is hinting at their courage - that depending on your attitude life can be an adventure. After surviving the flame spurts Westley says to Buttercup:
Well now, that was an adventure.
And a bit further on he says:
The Fire Swap certainly does keep you on your toes.
Just before facing the R.O.U.S.'s Buttercup says:
We'll never survive - we may as well die here.
To which Westley replies:
No. No. We have already succeeded.
I love that line too. (I pretty much love every line of the film.) Again it's about attitude. As they make it out of the fire swamp Buttercup says (almost in disbelief):
We did it.
And Westley says:
Now, was that so terrible?
Attitude.
Caring about yourself.
Caring about others.
Caring about the code.
