The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary
Author: Simon Winchester
Genre: nonfiction, history
Publication info: Oxford University Press, 2003
Pages: 260
In just a few days, I'll be leaving for England. I'm part of a study abroad program that will focus on the English language in its many varieties. As part of our sightseeing, we will visit Oxford, that old and prestigious university, home of the famous Oxford University Press as well as that monumental work, the Oxford English Dictionary.
I knew that the OED was cool, having used it a bit in my schoolwork, but I had no idea before reading this book of what a behemoth project it truly was (and is). Did you know that the first edition took almost seventy years to produce? It began in 1857 with a speech by a member of the Philological Society, in which he detailed the weaknesses of the dictionaries that had been made to that point. A few years later, work began on the dictionary to end all dictionaries—the one that could give the meaning of everything. Not until 1928 was the work of the first edition completed. That's a lot of lexicography!
The Meaning of Everything tells the story of the OED's development, dwelling particularly on the times when the project almost fell apart—an event that happened a surprising number of times. The OED saw several editors come and go, the most important of which was James Murray, the humble yet enthusiastic philologist who oversaw the project for something like forty years. But other, more interesting people factor in as well, such as Frederick Furnivall, the irresponsible ladies' man; Henry Sweet, the rude phonetician who was the inspiration for Henry Higgins in Pygmalion (or My Fair Lady, if you like); and W. C. Minor, the American ex-soldier turned murderer (about whom Winchester has written an entire book, The Professor and the Madman). All of this shows that more goes into the making of a dictionary than you might think.
Simon Winchester is a skilled storyteller with an academic style. He frequently seems to try to cram as much into one sentence as he can, using all the cool punctuation that he can. He also seems to have a special liking for the word "polymathic." If you know what that means (I didn't), then you probably won't have a problem with his style.
If you are interested at all in our fascinating and crazy language that is English, you ought to read this book that tells the story of the language's most authoritative dictionary. A dictionary may seem like a thing of the past to many people, but where would we be without one? I only hope I'll be able to see the third edition of the OED, which, last time I heard, is slated to come out in 2037. My hat goes off to dictionary-makers everywhere.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Life of Pi
Author: Yann Martel
Genre: fiction, adventure
Publication info: Harcourt, 2001
Pages: 326
And finally, novel #5.
What a transition from Angels & Demons. I'll bet the publishers of the two books would never have imagined the same person reading both of them, let alone consecutively. I did it, but it wasn't easy.
Whereas the Dan Brown novel is a fast-paced thriller, Life of Pi is a leisurely, thought-provoking novel. At half the length of the previous book, it took me about twice as long to read. I really had to get my brain warmed up after the numbing (and a bit of dumbing-down) of Angels & Demons. It was so hard at first that I complained vocally about the book for a while.
But enough comparison. Life of Pi is a finely written book. Very imaginative, very cleverly worded, and sometimes very funny. It tells the story of Pi Patel (his full name is Piscine Molitor Patel, which he explains at length), the son of a zookeeper in India. The first part of the book deals with Pi's experiences at the family zoo as well as his keen interest in religion. He ends up practicing three normally incompatible relgions at the same time (leading to a pretty funny standoff with the leaders of each). Life isn't necessarily easy for this boy, but it is rich.
Then circumstances in India lead the family to sell their zoo and move to Canada. Only a few of the animals join them on the journey by boat. Sadly, the boat sinks, with Pi as the only survivor. Well, him and a few of the animals, including an adult Bengal tiger. Now Pi must figure out how to survive on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a tiger as a companion.
So it's a survival story with a clever twist. And with some deep philosophical implications, as it turns out. I had a hard time with the narrator's musings that took up most of the first part of the book, and the language seemed too clever to be enjoyable, but once the survival part started, I was really hooked. The details are very well done. Sometimes the detail gets to the point of nastiness, but I felt like a stronger person for having gotten through them, just as Pi certainly becomes.
When I reached the end of the book, I felt that I had taken a satisfying journey. Life of Pi raises some questions about religion that at first glance seem basic but are actually quite deep and are treated in a unique way here. Give this book a try if you haven't already. I know it was pretty popular when it came out in 2001, so I'm a little late in saying this, but it's not too late for you to experience the oceanic adventure that is Life of Pi.
Genre: fiction, adventure
Publication info: Harcourt, 2001
Pages: 326
And finally, novel #5.
What a transition from Angels & Demons. I'll bet the publishers of the two books would never have imagined the same person reading both of them, let alone consecutively. I did it, but it wasn't easy.
Whereas the Dan Brown novel is a fast-paced thriller, Life of Pi is a leisurely, thought-provoking novel. At half the length of the previous book, it took me about twice as long to read. I really had to get my brain warmed up after the numbing (and a bit of dumbing-down) of Angels & Demons. It was so hard at first that I complained vocally about the book for a while.
But enough comparison. Life of Pi is a finely written book. Very imaginative, very cleverly worded, and sometimes very funny. It tells the story of Pi Patel (his full name is Piscine Molitor Patel, which he explains at length), the son of a zookeeper in India. The first part of the book deals with Pi's experiences at the family zoo as well as his keen interest in religion. He ends up practicing three normally incompatible relgions at the same time (leading to a pretty funny standoff with the leaders of each). Life isn't necessarily easy for this boy, but it is rich.
Then circumstances in India lead the family to sell their zoo and move to Canada. Only a few of the animals join them on the journey by boat. Sadly, the boat sinks, with Pi as the only survivor. Well, him and a few of the animals, including an adult Bengal tiger. Now Pi must figure out how to survive on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a tiger as a companion.
So it's a survival story with a clever twist. And with some deep philosophical implications, as it turns out. I had a hard time with the narrator's musings that took up most of the first part of the book, and the language seemed too clever to be enjoyable, but once the survival part started, I was really hooked. The details are very well done. Sometimes the detail gets to the point of nastiness, but I felt like a stronger person for having gotten through them, just as Pi certainly becomes.
When I reached the end of the book, I felt that I had taken a satisfying journey. Life of Pi raises some questions about religion that at first glance seem basic but are actually quite deep and are treated in a unique way here. Give this book a try if you haven't already. I know it was pretty popular when it came out in 2001, so I'm a little late in saying this, but it's not too late for you to experience the oceanic adventure that is Life of Pi.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Angels & Demons
Author: Dan Brown
Genre: fiction, conspiracy thriller
Publication info: Pocket Books, 2009
Pages: 710
Novel #4.
Dan Brown sure knows how to write 'em, doesn't he? At least when it comes to thrills and suspense. It took me all of two days to read (quite nearly all—I took some time off work to be able to finish it for class). I don't think any Harry Potter book ever had that effect on me.
If you're looking for some thought-provoking fiction, you won't find it here, but if you want a book that will keep you turning pages, you need look no further than Angels & Demons. I know Dan Brown is more famous for his controversial The Da Vinci Code, but this is actually the book that started it all (although the movies have it differently).
Robert Langdon is a symbologist at Harvard (did you know such a profession existed?) who happens to have some expertise in ancient conspiracies. For this reason, he is summoned by the director of CERN, the famed Swiss center of scientific research, to investigate a murder. The murdered man's body has the name "Illuminati" burned into it, a name which turns out to be that of a secret society, long believed to be extinct, of scientists who rebel against the Catholic Church.
One thing leads to another, and soon Langdon and the young, attractive scientist Vittoria Vetra are rushing to Vatican City to stop an unimaginable threat: hidden somewhere in the city is an antimatter bomb that could vaporize everything within a half-mile. It's conclave, the time when the church elects a new pope, and Langdon and Vetra must uncover the secrets of the Illuminati in order to find the bomb before it explodes at midnight. Oh, and the four favorite candidates for the papacy have been kidnapped as well.
It's not exactly heady stuff, but it's pretty exciting. I'll have to admit I got into it. I even had a dream with a similar story just the other night. My dream also had The Beatles in it, who, I'm sorry to say, do not make an appearance in this book.
As you might expect, the book sacrifices some things in order to create suspense, such as character development or even believability. I wanted to laugh out loud at the numerous times Langdon narrowly escapes death. But hey, it's all in good fun, right?
Yes, it's fun, but it's not much more than that. Angels & Demons will give you a thrilling ride once, but it's not the sort of book you'd want to read over and over again. It's more the sort of book you'd buy as a cheap paperback (so you don't have to wait for years on the hold list at the library) and then trade it in at a used bookstore. But I have to hand it to Dan Brown—he's good at what he does.
Genre: fiction, conspiracy thriller
Publication info: Pocket Books, 2009
Pages: 710
Novel #4.
Dan Brown sure knows how to write 'em, doesn't he? At least when it comes to thrills and suspense. It took me all of two days to read (quite nearly all—I took some time off work to be able to finish it for class). I don't think any Harry Potter book ever had that effect on me.
If you're looking for some thought-provoking fiction, you won't find it here, but if you want a book that will keep you turning pages, you need look no further than Angels & Demons. I know Dan Brown is more famous for his controversial The Da Vinci Code, but this is actually the book that started it all (although the movies have it differently).
Robert Langdon is a symbologist at Harvard (did you know such a profession existed?) who happens to have some expertise in ancient conspiracies. For this reason, he is summoned by the director of CERN, the famed Swiss center of scientific research, to investigate a murder. The murdered man's body has the name "Illuminati" burned into it, a name which turns out to be that of a secret society, long believed to be extinct, of scientists who rebel against the Catholic Church.
One thing leads to another, and soon Langdon and the young, attractive scientist Vittoria Vetra are rushing to Vatican City to stop an unimaginable threat: hidden somewhere in the city is an antimatter bomb that could vaporize everything within a half-mile. It's conclave, the time when the church elects a new pope, and Langdon and Vetra must uncover the secrets of the Illuminati in order to find the bomb before it explodes at midnight. Oh, and the four favorite candidates for the papacy have been kidnapped as well.
It's not exactly heady stuff, but it's pretty exciting. I'll have to admit I got into it. I even had a dream with a similar story just the other night. My dream also had The Beatles in it, who, I'm sorry to say, do not make an appearance in this book.
As you might expect, the book sacrifices some things in order to create suspense, such as character development or even believability. I wanted to laugh out loud at the numerous times Langdon narrowly escapes death. But hey, it's all in good fun, right?
Yes, it's fun, but it's not much more than that. Angels & Demons will give you a thrilling ride once, but it's not the sort of book you'd want to read over and over again. It's more the sort of book you'd buy as a cheap paperback (so you don't have to wait for years on the hold list at the library) and then trade it in at a used bookstore. But I have to hand it to Dan Brown—he's good at what he does.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Novel
Author: James A. Michener
Genre: fiction
Publication info: Fawcett Crest, 1991
Pages: 435
This was one of the required "textbooks" for my class. If it was required, then why do I review it here? Because it's a novel, for one thing. And not just any novel, but The Novel. And anyway, I make the rules of this blog.
I think James Michener should get an award for the most creative titles in fiction. After all, he's the one that brought us Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Space, Mexico, and many others. Probably his most creative title was also his first: "Tales of the South Pacific." And here we have The Novel. It sounds a little pretentious (I keep using that word; one of these days I ought to look it up to make sure I'm using it right) until you realize it's not claiming to be The Novel, as in The Great American Novel, but rather it's a story about what kind of work goes into creating and publishing a novel. That's why we had to read it for my class.
It's a story in four parts, each told from the point of view of a different character: Lukas Yoder, a successful author about to finish up his career; Yvonne Marmelle, his editor at Kinetic Press who becomes consumed by her work; Karl Streibert, a snobby critic who struggles to find his own success; and Jane Garland, devoted fan of Yoder's with plenty of money to throw around. Each story is unique, and although they are interconnected, it is sometimes difficult to see how they form a single, cohesive novel. It's not your typical plot structure. At some points I'm not even sure there is a plot structure.
I don't want to be harsh. Michener is obviously a skilled writer, and I think the point of this novel is to show what it takes to be an author (or editor, or critic, or wealthy person). In this respect I found The Novel enlightening. It clearly takes a lot of work and perseverance to be a successful author. Michener would know.
He does have the habit, though, of including a lot of detail about things that don't seem very important to the story. In Yoder's story, it is food, which I didn't mind too much. In Marmelle's, it is her struggling love life, which I was much less curious about than I was about her editing career. In Streibert's—well, I'd rather not remember those details.
Maybe it's just Michener's style, and I'm just not used to it. At any rate, I'll say that the novel is . . . interesting. Not the best I've ever read, but not the worst, either. From what I can tell from the reviews, if you like Michener's work, you'll like this novel. If you don't like him, or if you don't know him, you'll just have to see for yourself.
Genre: fiction
Publication info: Fawcett Crest, 1991
Pages: 435
This was one of the required "textbooks" for my class. If it was required, then why do I review it here? Because it's a novel, for one thing. And not just any novel, but The Novel. And anyway, I make the rules of this blog.
I think James Michener should get an award for the most creative titles in fiction. After all, he's the one that brought us Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Space, Mexico, and many others. Probably his most creative title was also his first: "Tales of the South Pacific." And here we have The Novel. It sounds a little pretentious (I keep using that word; one of these days I ought to look it up to make sure I'm using it right) until you realize it's not claiming to be The Novel, as in The Great American Novel, but rather it's a story about what kind of work goes into creating and publishing a novel. That's why we had to read it for my class.
It's a story in four parts, each told from the point of view of a different character: Lukas Yoder, a successful author about to finish up his career; Yvonne Marmelle, his editor at Kinetic Press who becomes consumed by her work; Karl Streibert, a snobby critic who struggles to find his own success; and Jane Garland, devoted fan of Yoder's with plenty of money to throw around. Each story is unique, and although they are interconnected, it is sometimes difficult to see how they form a single, cohesive novel. It's not your typical plot structure. At some points I'm not even sure there is a plot structure.
I don't want to be harsh. Michener is obviously a skilled writer, and I think the point of this novel is to show what it takes to be an author (or editor, or critic, or wealthy person). In this respect I found The Novel enlightening. It clearly takes a lot of work and perseverance to be a successful author. Michener would know.
He does have the habit, though, of including a lot of detail about things that don't seem very important to the story. In Yoder's story, it is food, which I didn't mind too much. In Marmelle's, it is her struggling love life, which I was much less curious about than I was about her editing career. In Streibert's—well, I'd rather not remember those details.
Maybe it's just Michener's style, and I'm just not used to it. At any rate, I'll say that the novel is . . . interesting. Not the best I've ever read, but not the worst, either. From what I can tell from the reviews, if you like Michener's work, you'll like this novel. If you don't like him, or if you don't know him, you'll just have to see for yourself.
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