I even love grammar, though it can sometimes be a fickle and inconsistent friend. If you say something incorrectly, I will correct you. Don't take it personally, I do it to everyone. It's an automatic reaction, like yelling out when I stub my toe. I mean no harm. However, if you correct me, I will deny ever having said whatever it is you thought you heard.
Are you a word-addict like I am? Do you commonly spend nights awake in bed because you just can't put down the book you decided to start reading at 9PM (just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed, promise)? Well, if you are, here are some books, websites, and blogs to geek out about.
Books:
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - This book is an insightful and entertaining investigation into how the English language has formed, altered, grown, and become the language it is today. Bryson is a hilarious and honest writer who makes you look at something you thought you knew as if it is something else entirely.
The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson - These two friends have traveled the United States armed with a permanent marker in order to free us all from our Typo Prison. The book is full of pictures and stories of typos that they found on everything from restaurant menus to church signs, and they made sure to dot all the i's.
Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt - There are not many facts known about the great writer William Shakespeare, but if anyone can stir up a bit of truth within all the myths, my vote would go to Mr. Greenblatt. This books is full of what may or may not have been the life of Shakespeare, that is, if Shakespeare existed at all.
Websites/Blogs:
www.bookglutton.com/ - What's better than access to hundreds of public domain novels? Um, nothing! Plus, this website allows you to have discussions with people via the internet. Book clubs will never be the same.
www.savethewords.org/ - If you don't visit this website, these words may die. No, seriously.
www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet - If you love poetry, check this one out. I promise you will love it.
Are you a word-addict like I am? Do you commonly spend nights awake in bed because you just can't put down the book you decided to start reading at 9PM (just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed, promise)? Well, if you are, here are some books, websites, and blogs to geek out about.
Books:
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - This book is an insightful and entertaining investigation into how the English language has formed, altered, grown, and become the language it is today. Bryson is a hilarious and honest writer who makes you look at something you thought you knew as if it is something else entirely.
The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson - These two friends have traveled the United States armed with a permanent marker in order to free us all from our Typo Prison. The book is full of pictures and stories of typos that they found on everything from restaurant menus to church signs, and they made sure to dot all the i's.
Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt - There are not many facts known about the great writer William Shakespeare, but if anyone can stir up a bit of truth within all the myths, my vote would go to Mr. Greenblatt. This books is full of what may or may not have been the life of Shakespeare, that is, if Shakespeare existed at all.
Websites/Blogs:
www.bookglutton.com/ - What's better than access to hundreds of public domain novels? Um, nothing! Plus, this website allows you to have discussions with people via the internet. Book clubs will never be the same.
www.savethewords.org/ - If you don't visit this website, these words may die. No, seriously.
www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet - If you love poetry, check this one out. I promise you will love it.
If you have any good one's to add, please share!!
2 comments:
Hey Jess! Just wanted to comment that I love Bill Bryson! I haven't read the book you mention in this post, but I have read one of his other books (A Walk in the Woods) and I have two of his on my 'to read' shelf (The Thunderbolt Kid and A Brief History of Nearly Everything (or something like that)). I will have to find this other Bryson book you speak of.
Cheers!
Krista, his writing style always makes me laugh out loud, but I particularly like this one because it deals with the English language. I have the other two books you mentioned as well, good stuff. :)
Post a Comment