READER’S FORUM

April 14, 2025 at 02:44 am Reply

Gordon Korman Fan

Hello Gordon Korman,

I am interested in the epilogue for This Can't Be Happening At MacDonald Hall, could you please reply with it? I am a big fan I have a bunch of your books.I recently read the Macdonald Hall series and I was looking on the internet one day and discovered the existence of the epilogue. I was very curious and decided to ask you about it. When you reply can you type the epilogue with it? Thank you very much.

(P.S. You are my favorite author.)

From a very big Gordon Korman Fan
April 14, 2025 at 03:42 am Reply

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Hi, Very Big Fan,

Thanks for posting and also for your support for me work.

Re: the epilogue from the original version of THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL. I am in the process of going through a move, and the book is presently at the bottom of a carton of the other 104 books on my list. When I move, which won't be for a few weeks, I will find it and send it to you. Please watch this space, and forgive the delay.

Regards, -----Gordon Korman-----
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Hi, Very Big Fan,

Thanks for posting and also for your support for me work.

Re: the epilogue from the original version of THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL. I am in the process of going through a move, and the book is presently at the bottom of a carton of the other 104 books on my list. When I move, which won't be for a few weeks, I will find it and send it to you. Please watch this space, and forgive the delay.

Regards, -----Gordon Korman-----
April 16, 2025 at 01:17 pm Reply

Asher

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I believe it was posted to this forum in the past.

It's a very cute epilogue, where Bruno and Boots grow up (which of course kills the sequels.

Jardine, any chance you have it?
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I believe it was posted to this forum in the past.

It's a very cute epilogue, where Bruno and Boots grow up (which of course kills the sequels.

Jardine, any chance you have it?
April 17, 2025 at 01:27 pm Reply

Raymond Jardine

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Hey, Asher!

I have a "first edition" copy of THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL with the epilogue, the one with Scholastic code INC 343. (The existence of a Scholastic Canada original didn't come to my attention until a few years ago. Until then, I thought the Scholastic book coded TX 4733 was the title's first printing. It sports a similar cover but does not have the epilogue.)

To respect copyrights, I would leave it to the author or publisher to decide whether to post content publicly (but I'm happy to share a scan if requested).
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Hey, Asher!

I have a "first edition" copy of THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL with the epilogue, the one with Scholastic code INC 343. (The existence of a Scholastic Canada original didn't come to my attention until a few years ago. Until then, I thought the Scholastic book coded TX 4733 was the title's first printing. It sports a similar cover but does not have the epilogue.)

To respect copyrights, I would leave it to the author or publisher to decide whether to post content publicly (but I'm happy to share a scan if requested).
April 17, 2025 at 04:14 pm Reply

Asher

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I think Gordon is ok with it, he just doesn\'t have his copy readily available. Am I correct, Gordon?

I myself had one Inc 343 signed by 12 year old Gordon Korman himself. It was misplaced during the move unfortunately...
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I think Gordon is ok with it, he just doesn\'t have his copy readily available. Am I correct, Gordon?

I myself had one Inc 343 signed by 12 year old Gordon Korman himself. It was misplaced during the move unfortunately...
April 17, 2025 at 05:20 pm Reply

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Hi, Very Big Fan, Asher, and Raymond,

All this chit-chat over something that ultimately fell by the wayside in favor of a series!!

I'm fine with it -- it just happens to be at the bottom of a box that I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole right now, and may not get to for a couple of months. If it's not too much trouble, Raymond, by all means let it see the light of day.

Thanks, all. --GK--
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Hi, Very Big Fan, Asher, and Raymond,

All this chit-chat over something that ultimately fell by the wayside in favor of a series!!

I'm fine with it -- it just happens to be at the bottom of a box that I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole right now, and may not get to for a couple of months. If it's not too much trouble, Raymond, by all means let it see the light of day.

Thanks, all. --GK--
April 18, 2025 at 02:41 pm Reply

Raymond Jardine

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I believe comments in the Forum don't allow users to post images so I will link to a scan here: Epilogue.

And here is the text:

Epilogue

I won’t say they were good boys after that. But, come to think of it, they had never really been bad boys. Just mischievous ones. They did maintain their good grades from then on, and they did behave well—sometimes.

However, I have no doubts as to the identity of the boys who put overalls on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald that stands in front of Macdonald Hall. And I have strong suspicions that they were the same two who replaced my tuxedo with a judo suit on Founder’s Day. I am even inclined to believe that they were the ones who entered my name and photograph in the “Sexiest Man in Toronto” contest. (I shouldn’t complain: I won third prize and enjoyed a free dinner at the Royal York.)

Walton and O’Neal left Macdonald Hall three years ago—but I always know when they return for Founder’s Day. Each year the judo suit in my closet undergoes a slight change (which leads me to believe that my wife is their accomplice). I am happy to report that I have recently been promoted to Black Belt.

William R. Sturgeon, Headmaster
Macdonald Hall
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I believe comments in the Forum don't allow users to post images so I will link to a scan here: Epilogue.

And here is the text:

Epilogue

I won’t say they were good boys after that. But, come to think of it, they had never really been bad boys. Just mischievous ones. They did maintain their good grades from then on, and they did behave well—sometimes.

However, I have no doubts as to the identity of the boys who put overalls on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald that stands in front of Macdonald Hall. And I have strong suspicions that they were the same two who replaced my tuxedo with a judo suit on Founder’s Day. I am even inclined to believe that they were the ones who entered my name and photograph in the “Sexiest Man in Toronto” contest. (I shouldn’t complain: I won third prize and enjoyed a free dinner at the Royal York.)

Walton and O’Neal left Macdonald Hall three years ago—but I always know when they return for Founder’s Day. Each year the judo suit in my closet undergoes a slight change (which leads me to believe that my wife is their accomplice). I am happy to report that I have recently been promoted to Black Belt.

William R. Sturgeon, Headmaster
Macdonald Hall
April 18, 2025 at 02:50 pm Reply

Raymond Jardine

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Following up on your comment about the epilogue seeming to preclude sequels, @Asher, I'll point out that the author bio in this book notes that "Gordon is already working on a sequel to his first novel...".
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Following up on your comment about the epilogue seeming to preclude sequels, @Asher, I'll point out that the author bio in this book notes that "Gordon is already working on a sequel to his first novel...".
April 18, 2025 at 06:22 pm Reply

Asher

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Thanks Jardine!

I will note that the Judo suit replacement is canon, showing up in a later book (I don\'t recall which, but Mrs Sturgeon mentions it).
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Thanks Jardine!

I will note that the Judo suit replacement is canon, showing up in a later book (I don\'t recall which, but Mrs Sturgeon mentions it).
April 19, 2025 at 11:40 am Reply

Raymond Jardine

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@Asher: Also canon is Mrs. Sturgeon's hijinks (albeit not exactly as Bruno and Boots's "accomplice").
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@Asher: Also canon is Mrs. Sturgeon's hijinks (albeit not exactly as Bruno and Boots's "accomplice").
April 23, 2025 at 03:48 am Reply

Gordon Korman Fan

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Hello Gordon Korman, Asher and Raymond:

Thank you for the epilogue! I printed it out.

Thank You,

A very big Gordon Korman Fan
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Hello Gordon Korman, Asher and Raymond:

Thank you for the epilogue! I printed it out.

Thank You,

A very big Gordon Korman Fan
April 25, 2025 at 11:50 am Reply

Asher

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Can the epilogue be added to "Short Fiction"?

https://gordonkorman.com/short-fiction

Or possibly the This Can't He Happening in MacDonald Hall book page

https://gordonkorman.com/the-books/classics/macdonald-hall
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Can the epilogue be added to "Short Fiction"?

https://gordonkorman.com/short-fiction

Or possibly the This Can't He Happening in MacDonald Hall book page

https://gordonkorman.com/the-books/classics/macdonald-hall
April 27, 2025 at 02:47 am Reply

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Hi, Asher,

Scholastic made the decision that the epilogue kind of canceled out the 6 books that followed in the series, so they chose to leave it out. I think I'm going to bow to their judgement and leave things the way they are. After all, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL turns 50 in a short few years, and perhaps the series will live again! -Gord
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Hi, Asher,

Scholastic made the decision that the epilogue kind of canceled out the 6 books that followed in the series, so they chose to leave it out. I think I'm going to bow to their judgement and leave things the way they are. After all, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL turns 50 in a short few years, and perhaps the series will live again! -Gord