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Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors
by
From one of America's most beloved and bestselling authors, a wonderfully useful and readable guide to the problems of the English language most commonly encountered by editors and writers.
What is the difference between immanent and imminent? What is the singular form of graffiti? What is the difference between acute and chronic? What is the former name of Moldova? What is ...more
What is the difference between immanent and imminent? What is the singular form of graffiti? What is the difference between acute and chronic? What is the former name of Moldova? What is ...more
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Paperback, 416 pages
Published
May 12th 2009
by Anchor
(first published January 1st 2008)
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Community Reviews
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Start your review of Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Oct 25, 2008
Michael MacKian
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
permanent-reference
Dictionaries in general are wonderful thieves of time. How often one gets distracted, meandering from word to word, even forgetting the reason for opening the book in the first place. Well, Bryson's Dictionary is different. Yes, it is good for reference, giving the trickier spellings, words which are often confused, British and American uses and so on, but for a writer it can also be read from cover to cover for the sheer enjoyment of discovery. And it has the advantage that it can be put down
...more
If Bernstein's the acknowledged expert on English grammar, Bill Bryson is the most famous living expert who share's his knowledge with a pinch of humility and humor.
I met Bryson reading his Short History of Nearly Everything. Therein lay the seeds of my initial distrust. How could an author who wrote such an enthralling historic book like Short History switch genres and write a successful dictionary? Shouldn't that be the job of a bibliophile or Mr. Webster's great grandson? Despite my ...more
I met Bryson reading his Short History of Nearly Everything. Therein lay the seeds of my initial distrust. How could an author who wrote such an enthralling historic book like Short History switch genres and write a successful dictionary? Shouldn't that be the job of a bibliophile or Mr. Webster's great grandson? Despite my ...more
Reading a dictionary is typically not the most entertaining read. This amazing book was entertaining, enlightening, and informative. I checked it out through the library, but will be buying a copy for my own shelves soon. It has changed the way I thought about words, constructing sentences and will in the future improve my writing greatly, I believe.
Not one to read all at once, but a wonderful reference to many of the troubling questions that plague writers.
informative .. would recommend
Jul 27, 2008
Alex Telander
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2008
BRYSON'S DICTIONARY FOR WRITERS AND EDITORS BY BILL BRYSON: Bestselling author Bill Bryson has already amassed quite a career for himself with successful travel writing books like A Walk in the Woods and In a Sunburned Country, as well as books on literature and language like The Mother Tongue and Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, and even attempting to present a concise history of science with A Short History of Nearly Everything; Bryson now returns with Bryson's Dictionary for Writers
...more
Initial thoughts are that there's a lot of info I wouldn't look to this book for. If I have trouble with spelling or pronunciation I'd look at dictionary.com which references several dictionaries. Otherwise I might look something up in his book that wouldn't be in there. So, as a reference book, this doesn't seem very handy but as a general info for a quick read-through, pretty interesting. I think I'll keep it in the bathroom until I've read it.
OK, it's been in the bathroom for awhile and it ...more
OK, it's been in the bathroom for awhile and it ...more
my god, what ego this book represents. It's a dictionary, of words and phrases that Bryson has found or thinks you will find troublesome/interesting. Many without definitions? So, you get to hear about the difference between leech and leach and lay and lie, and how some (what fools!) confuse laudable and laudatory. Its a highly personal book, that he compiled over many many years--pre home computer years-- but still, it seems almost totally useless. I would either use a regular dictionary (my
...more
This book was so excellent. Bryson includes all variety of useful things, from definitions to the correct spelling of confusing words, to cross-references and connotations that may get a "serious" writer into trouble. Bryson bases some of his entries on opinion, but in most cases, his opinion is itself based on a long and illustrious writing career as well as multiple referenced sources. In only a few cases did I disagree with his logic, and only once did I find an actual mistake Ulysses was not
...more
Delightful to meander through, this "dictionary" limits itself to words and topics that editors must frequently fact-check. The words phrases and abbreviations are listed alphabetically, and I imagine it would be useful were I an editor. As a person who merely enjoys words, I found that it did not work well as a reference. (I tried to look one thing up that turned out not to be listed, a random test, but a test failed nevertheless.) I laughed aloud several times at the concise and opinionated
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I'm "finished" with perusing through this fascinating writing resource. It's not so much a book one reads cover to cover (unless you have a habit of reading dictionaries cover to cover for fun, I'm definitely not one to judge since I do enjoy the Online Etymology Dictionary). This is more a book to test the waters and see if it is indeed a good resource for writers, and as an amateur writer, I think it's one worth having on the shelves at home.
I don't know if I can really say I "read" this because it is a reference book. I checked it out and looked through it, but nothing captured my attention. It is the kind of book I wish I owned so that when I do have one of those weird language or spelling questions (like "Do you capitalize rock and roll?"), I would have a resource. I like Bryson a lot, but this isn't quite as entertaining as most of his travelogues and other books.
Mea culpa. It's not Bryson's fault but entirely my own.
Whenever I want to check the spelling of a word or its meaning, I wouldn't come to this book; I knew it before I clicked 'buy'. So why did I? Bryson, I guess.
Not a great dictionary, not a great book. Still an entertaining piece to kill time reading a couple of words or pages at a time while you wait for your flight to be called or the cab to arrive.
Whenever I want to check the spelling of a word or its meaning, I wouldn't come to this book; I knew it before I clicked 'buy'. So why did I? Bryson, I guess.
Not a great dictionary, not a great book. Still an entertaining piece to kill time reading a couple of words or pages at a time while you wait for your flight to be called or the cab to arrive.
Apr 07, 2011
Daniel Taylor
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Writers and editors
How lucky writers and editors are to have this reference work from Bill Bryson!
A bestselling author himself across a variety of creative nonfiction genres, in this book he's opened up his toolkit to improve the craft of harried writers and perfectionist writers everywhere.
He keeps his prose simple and concise, but his signature humor is there and his aptitude for storytelling.
I say this every time I review one of his books: Bill Bryson is the best living writer in the English language.
A bestselling author himself across a variety of creative nonfiction genres, in this book he's opened up his toolkit to improve the craft of harried writers and perfectionist writers everywhere.
He keeps his prose simple and concise, but his signature humor is there and his aptitude for storytelling.
I say this every time I review one of his books: Bill Bryson is the best living writer in the English language.
May 29, 2012
Helena
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
language-grammar-editing
"Read" is the wrong term here. It's a reference, so "flipped through" is more accurate. If I find myself doing a lot of copyediting again it might be useful to add to my collection--most of the info is available in other places, including online with a quick Google search, but as Bryson points out, it's nice to have it in one place so you don't have to hunt for it.
Jul 27, 2010
Mary-Lynn
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Mary-Lynn by:
found it while browsing at Ukazoo
(adding to the title)...and People Who Give a Damn about Grammar, Usage and Correctness
I'm really excited to have this book join my library. Sometimes, a dictionary just isn't enough and Google is just beyond reach (no internet access).
I'm really excited to have this book join my library. Sometimes, a dictionary just isn't enough and Google is just beyond reach (no internet access).
A fun reference book for spelling, misused phrases and the like It is perfect for those times when you are not sure if you should use effect or affect - Bryson puts them together and gives the meaning of each.
This is a really fun collection of trivia and information for writers. It isn't the kind of book that you read cover to cover, but one that I'll pick up often when I have a few moments and just want to learn something new and interesting.
Those who have only read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in The Woods", need to read his "Dictionary for Writers and Editors". The Dictionary is useful, and quite engaging to read (well, engaging to a word nerd, reaching out to other fellow word nerd fans).
Jun 01, 2008
Sarah
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Sarah by:
Dad
My parents sent this to me as a birthday present.
Update: I'm reading a few pages of this every night before bed. I'm really enjoying it. If you are the sort of person who has a favorite dictionary, you should check this out.
Update: I'm reading a few pages of this every night before bed. I'm really enjoying it. If you are the sort of person who has a favorite dictionary, you should check this out.
I need to buy a copy of this book!! Essential!
I love everything he writes, and this dictionary is no exception. Who thought reading a dictionary would be so much fun!?! Makes me love words even more than I already did!
A must-read and a must-have for all writers/bloggers. The very first dictionary I've every consumed word after word.
I'll be using this book for years to come. Not just for writers, but for anyone who enjoys trivia (or just knowing more stuff).
Fascinated and obsessed by the first 50 pages, then got (expectedly) repetitive. Still, I learned a lot and am glad I pushed on through.
I bounced around in it really, more than read it. And it was fascinating.
I still remember that Col o mbia is a country and Col u mbia is everything else.
Not as nifty as the Dictionary of Troublesome Words.
Really meant as a reference book, but I read it straight through. Fun for anyone who loves words.
One of the most practical and useful guides to usage I've come across. Every once in a while I like to flip to a random page, just to see what I might learn today.
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William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, FRS was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. He settled in England in 1977, and worked in journalism until he became a full time writer. He lived for many years with his English wife and four children in North Yorkshire. He and his family then moved to New Hampshire in America for a few years, but they have now returned to live in the UK.
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