Books

[Wig_Powder]

I can't speak to the quality of the rest of this story (I think it's a play) since I found it via Google books while looking for sneeze content, but given that the title of the piece is "Ragweed Cowboy Joe", I think we can safely assume sneezing is relevant for at least a small amount of the story. But you can find out for yourself if you wish...

https://books.google.com/books?id=hyYjmG60DbYC&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=ragweed+sneeze&source=bl&ots=kimqtO9fmm&sig=JEcppk8RSibNV6UR5jlTATh5eCQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZzMvuupDWAhUE0WMKHesXDIk4ChDoAQgwMAI#v=onepage&q=ragweed sneeze&f=false

If you click through the options to see other examples of "ragweed sneeze" in the book, you'll find a little song/poem related to allergies, which I suspect will appeal to a lot of us too.

[Oolia]

Cute librarian sneeze passage in The Midnight Library from Matt Haig:

‘Not always parallel. Some are more . . . perpendicular. So, do you want to live a life you could be living? Do you want to do something differently? Is there anything you wish to change? Did you do anything wrong?’
That was an easy one. ‘Yes. Absolutely everything.’
The answer seemed to tickle the librarian’s nose. Mrs Elm quickly rummaged for the paper tissue that was stuffed up the inside sleeve of her polo neck. She brought it quickly to her face and sneezed into it.
‘Bless you,’ said Nora, watching as the tissue disappeared from the librarian’s hands the moment she’d finished using it, through some strange and hygienic magic.
‘Don’t worry. Tissues are like lives. There are always more.’ Mrs Elm returned to her train of thought.

[Joal 555]

8 hours ago, Oolia said:

Cute librarian sneeze passage in The Midnight Library from Matt Haig:

‘Not always parallel. Some are more . . . perpendicular. So, do you want to live a life you could be living? Do you want to do something differently? Is there anything you wish to change? Did you do anything wrong?’
That was an easy one. ‘Yes. Absolutely everything.’
The answer seemed to tickle the librarian’s nose. Mrs Elm quickly rummaged for the paper tissue that was stuffed up the inside sleeve of her polo neck. She brought it quickly to her face and sneezed into it.
‘Bless you,’ said Nora, watching as the tissue disappeared from the librarian’s hands the moment she’d finished using it, through some strange and hygienic magic.
‘Don’t worry. Tissues are like lives. There are always more.’ Mrs Elm returned to her train of thought.

Love this little scene!

Thanks for sharing it @Oolia

[freakofnature04]

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman has the main male character Kai sneeze a few times in one scene - I can't remember the reason it was either dust or some supernatural cause (novel is fantasy)

[Macaroni]

Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)’s latest Cormoran Strike novel, Troubled Blood, has some characters catch the flu from each other, including Cormoran, who has to run some errands and keep working while sick. I read it awhile ago and just recently thought to add it to this thread, so I don’t remember all the details, or if there’s any actual sneezing. I haven’t seen that book listed here yet, but sorry if I missed it. 

[Lady Blessington]

From gods with a little g by Tupelo Hassman:

 

I’m just going to say it. I did something nice for Iris.

I didn’t mean to. Just like I didn’t really plan to get Pen for Winthrop. I seem to be having these fits of niceness. Like allergies or something. Before I can even find a tissue, I’ve snotted niceness all over the place.

[Lady Blessington]

On 6/30/2020 at 11:15 AM, Adw said:

There's passage in Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain that has an amazing description of sneezing:

"Sneezing was just as much fun — the way you felt it swelling up with a vengeance inside you, until it became irresistible and you breathed in and out in one great frenzy, gave yourself over to the bliss of it, your face drunk with pleasure — you could forget the whole world in one blessed eruption. But sometimes they came in twos and threes, one right after the other."

😍

[PantheraPardus]

Reading through these, I’m reminded of a YA novel I read a number of years ago, though I can’t quite remember the title. The protagonist (a young, demon-summoning magician) sneezes several times (from dust and from rain, if I recall correctly) throughout the story.

[Hyacinth]

On 1/13/2014 at 9:22 PM, Melody said:

http://www.epubbud.com/read.php?g=E2LYADUG&p=15 i actually found the link to the part of the book lololol haven't read it in soooooo long

Does anyone remember what book this was? The link is no longer valid  

The last book in this series is called Fyre and I tried looking through it for the scene everyone was talking about, but there were only 2 small mentions of sneezing in the book, and neither were anything too special. Was it another book in the series?

[Lady Blessington]

From the wonderful VenCo by Cherie Dimaline:

“When a person sneezes in front of those with unkind intentions, it gives them a window. A way to see what that person sees, like they’re looking through their eyes, for a certain amount of time.”

[SneezeFae]

The Hobbit is probably my favorite book that has sneezing in it. Bilbo with a sneezy cold and stuffy nose while speaking? Yes please! 

[MusicaDiabolos]

On 2/3/2020 at 2:53 AM, sprinkles287 said:

LOTS of sneezing from lead male character in SM Reine's Preternatural Affairs series.  He's a witch, and is allergic to strong magic.  First few books are free for kindle...

I adore this series! Four books in so far and there is so much sneezing... Good story too 

[MusicaDiabolos]

One I don't believe is in here yet:

 

If We Were Villains, by ML Rio. Dark academia, theatre students being very dramatic. Main character (M) is allergic to chalk dust and sneezes a few times.

Edited April 10, 2023 by MusicaDiabolos
Specifying gender

[AntheaHolmes]

A book I'm currently reading is Machiavelli's "The Prince". I usually read 4+ books parallel! I know it's bad but my mind needs it. 😁

[Lady Blessington]

On 3/23/2023 at 1:02 AM, SneezeFae said:

The Hobbit is probably my favorite book that has sneezing in it. Bilbo with a sneezy cold and stuffy nose while speaking? Yes please! 

YES now I remember why I love that book lol

[Triosk1]

On 6/4/2013 at 4:15 PM, Galaxy said:

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is the most perfect example I've ever found. The main character Howl (perhaps you've seen the movie based off the novel?) spends a decent two or three chapters with a nasty cold. The illness is greatly detailed, and I would think it was written by a fetishist if all the sneezes were spelled out. Other than the awesome illness scenes, the book itself it wonderful!

I just wanted to say that the audiobook of Howl's Moving Castle (read by Kristin Atherton) is amazing. You can get it on Audible. She does absolutely tons of congested talking and even varies it by how ill he is at different points. I'll try to add a couple of clips I recorded off my phone (there'll be a couple of seconds of silence at the start while I switched apps). There's no actual sneezing as nothing is spelled out in the book but it's so good.

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Triosk1

[Lady Blessington]

From The Measure of a Man by JJ Lee:

Despite the contemporary hanky rule “one to show [breast pocket] and one to blow [back pants pocket],” there are circumstances where a pristine pocket square will be called up to service. At a funeral, unlike the functional rag in the back, an unused hanky can be shared, even given as a gift, at the teariest moment — a gesture that will never be forgotten.

[Lady Blessington]

It is such a cozy feeling knowing there is like a collective scrapbook to put these treasures in 🤓✨💛

From Luster by Raven Leilani:

The receptionist is an impossibly chic Asian woman with long, tattooed hands and some sort of head cold. Naturally it heartens me to see some color in the place, but when she escorts me to the waiting room she sneezes and tells me that I’m underdressed.

[Lady Blessington]

On 8/2/2023 at 5:41 AM, Triosk1 said:

I just wanted to say that the audiobook of Howl's Moving Castle (read by Kristin Atherton) is amazing. You can get it on Audible. She does absolutely tons of congested talking and even varies it by how ill he is at different points. I'll try to add a couple of clips I recorded off my phone (there'll be a couple of seconds of silence at the start while I switched apps). There's no actual sneezing as nothing is spelled out in the book but it's so good.

 

Omg good work ❤️‍🔥

[allergyboy2001]

In Dare To Dream, by Alice Marie Dodge, the main female character gets into a labor dispute(!) and is exposed to tear gas and starts sneezing. Her boyfriend helps her out with his handkerchief, but then he gets a whiff of it too.

[Elysnzz]

From the Crescent City book series

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

** there are no names or spoilers for those that do read the series 🤭 just a conversation. ** Also trigger warning on physical abuse** 

 

“I have a family. A very influential one.” She propped her head on a burning fist. “They’re pieces of shit, too.”
“Yeah? Your dad ever burn you for speaking out of turn?”
“No. But he did flog me for sneezing during prayers.”
She wasn’t an Asteri, then. Asteri had no family. No children. No parents. They just were.
He blinked. “All right. We’re even.”
She laughed quietly, a low, soft sound that ran delicate fingers over his skin. “A truly tragic thing to have in common.”

 

Also in ACOWAR (I think) Cassian has allergies when he goes to the Spring Court and they do talk about him being itchy, they just never mention him sneezing… although we can imagine 🤭