Remember, one of the exceptional things about this book is that — for the first time that I know about in the context of slave literature — we're dealing with a holograph, something in the author's own handwriting, completely unmediated and unprettified by abolitionist editors or publishers.
The meal was fine but the only exceptional thing about it was the price afterwards: £30 each, which is extortionate (four months' Cuban wages each for a meal - it should have been a few pounds at most).
Terry Press, who was the head of marketing at DreamWorks, told me, "I started to get calls from journalists who wanted me to know that Harvey had hired a squad of publicists to start a whisper campaign that the only exceptional thing about 'Ryan' was the first fifteen minutes".
The truly exceptional thing about Wayne White is the voracious spirit that just radiates from his being, consumes your curiosity and pulsates in the air like live punk music explodes from distorted youth.
There is no good answer, because as far I can see the only exceptional thing about my case was the publicity it generated: there are hundreds of thousands of equally innocent people who don't want to be on a database but who have been told to lump it.
The most exceptional thing about Brianna Amat, who has become known as the Kicking Queen, is not her twin accomplishments as homecoming queen and place-kicker.
But the most exceptional thing about Wikipedia is that it is a collaboration, built by volunteer contributors from every walk of life.
Gratitude reminds us to find our happiness in exceptional things, mundane things, the good things, the so-so things -- even the terrible things.
"But making the guest room work might well be the most exceptional thing Markus pulled off".
Exceptionalism, it seems, is the least exceptional thing on earth.
