Folderol

William Maclay, a Pennsylvania Democrat and a senator, was a watchdog against the development of any monarchial folderol gathering about the office of the president.

[The librarian] rang the bell at nine. I hurried over to Philosophy and grabbed anything. It was another Nietzsche: Man and Superman. I knew that would get her. Before stamping it, she flipped a few pages. "My!" she said. "What books you read!" I said, "Haw. That's nothing. I never read folderol." She smiled good night.

In this confrontation with the magic of science and the magic of folderol, it is almost impossible not to side with the magic of folderol, and the silly, but relatively benign, Merlin.

“To say the essay has 'development of ideas' is absolute folderol.” “I beg your pardon?” Maria asked. “Folly,” he explained pedantically. “Poppycock. Gibberish.” “I know what folderol means,” Maria said. “I just think you better watch what you say.”

And they made a mistake there: the prizes were a lot of folderols and doodads like poetry books and illustrated Testaments, instead of something a real live kid would want to work for, like real cash or a speedometer for his motor cycle.

He didn't share Miss Flora's penchant for collecting gaudy, useless knickknacks, and wouldn't have bought any of those foolish, foreign fandangles and folderols if he did have the money to waste.

“I notice you're not keen on folderols.” “Folderols?” Amanda echoed uncomprehendingly. “My grandmother's term for decorative items, pictures, knick-knacks,” Connor's hand swept the room.