Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Crown

Published: 2004-09-14

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 0767910435

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One of the English language’s most skilled and beloved writers guides us all toward precise, mistake-free grammar. As usual Bill Bryson says it best: “English is a dazzlingly idiosyncratic tongue, full of quirks and irregularities that often seem willfully at odds with logic and common sense. This is a language where ‘cleave’ can mean to cut in half or to hold two halves together; where the simple word ‘set’ has 126 different meanings as a verb, 58 as a noun, and 10 as a participial adjective; where if you can run fast you are moving swiftly, but if you are stuck fast you are not moving at all; [and] where ‘colonel,’ ‘freight,’ ‘once,’ and ‘ache’ are strikingly at odds with their spellings.” As a copy editor for the London Times in the early 1980s, Bill Bryson felt keenly the lack of an easy-to-consult, authoritative guide to avoiding the traps and snares in English, and so he brashly suggested to a publisher that he should write one. Surprisingly, the proposition was accepted, and for “a sum of money carefully gauged not to cause embarrassment or feelings of overworth,” he proceeded to write that book—his first, inaugurating his stellar career. Now, a decade and a half later, revised, updated, and thoroughly (but not overly) Americanized, it has become Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words, more than ever an essential guide to the wonderfully disordered thing that is the English language. With some one thousand entries, from “a, an” to “zoom,” that feature real-world examples of questionable usage from an international array of publications, and with a helpful glossary and guide to pronunciation, this precise, prescriptive, and—because it is written by Bill Bryson—often witty book belongs on the desk of every person who cares enough about the language not to maul or misuse or distort it.

Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Anchor Canada

Published: 2011-06-22

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 0307373266

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From one of the world’s most beloved and bestselling authors, a terrifically useful and readable guide to the problems of the English language most commonly encountered by editors and writers. What is the singular form of graffiti? From what mythological figure is the word “tantalize” derived? One of the English language’s most skilled writers guides us all toward precise, mistake-free usage. Covering spelling, capitalization, plurals, hyphens, abbreviations, and foreign names and phrases, Bryson’s Dictionary for Writers and Editors will be an indispensable companion for all who care enough about our language not to maul, misuse, or contort it. As Bill Bryson notes, “English is a dazzlingly idiosyncratic tongue, full of quirks and irregularities that often seem willfully at odds with logic and common sense.” This dictionary is an essential guide to the wonderfully disordered thing that is the English language.

Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Anchor Canada

Published: 2013-05-07

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 0385679963

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One of the English language's most skilled and beloved writers guides us all towards precise, mistake-free usage. In the middle 1980s Bill Bryson was a copy editor for the London Times with the brash idea that he could fill a hole in the British book market for a concise, accessible, handy guide to proper usage. A complete unknown, he nonetheless sold Penguin Books on the idea, and the result was The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words, which sold decently enough on both sides of the Atlantic. Now, fifteen years later, Bill Bryson has become, well, Bill Bryson -- and his terrifically useful little book has been revised, updated and Americanized to become Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words. Precise, prescriptive, sometimes (like its author) amusingly prickly, this book belongs on the desk of every person who cares enough about our language not to maul or misuse or distort it. Move over, Strunk and White.

When Things Go Wrong: Diseases
When Things Go Wrong: Diseases

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2020-04-21

Total Pages: 24

ISBN-13: 0593312163

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In this selection from The Body, his compulsively readable and bestselling owner’s manual to the human body, Bill Bryson introduces us to the mysterious, and often devastating, world of disease. Written with extraordinary insight and filled with remarkable facts, When Things Go Wrong deepens our understanding of the maladies that afflict us--what they are and how they work. A Vintage Short.

How to Not Write Bad
How to Not Write Bad

Author: Ben Yagoda

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2013-02-05

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1594488487

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Ben Yagoda's How to Not Write Bad illustrates how we can all write better, more clearly, and for a wider readership. He offers advice on what he calls "not-writing-badly," which consists of the ability, first, to craft sentences that are correct in terms of spelling, diction (word choice), punctuation, and grammar, and that also display clarity, precision, and grace. Then he focuses on crafting whole paragraphs—with attention to cadence, consistency of tone, sentence transitions, and paragraph length. In a fun, comprehensive guide, Yagoda lays out the simple steps we can all take to make our writing more effective, more interesting—and just plain better.

Troublesome Words
Troublesome Words

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2015-06-02

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0241974542

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Troublesome Words is playful and riddlesome guide to the English language from the bestselling author of Notes from a Small Island and A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson What is the difference between mean and median, blatant and flagrant, flout and flaunt? Is it whodunnit or whodunit? Do you know? Are you sure? With Troublesome Words, journalist and bestselling travel-writer Bill Bryson gives us a clear, concise and entertaining guide to the problems of English usage and spelling that has been an indispensable companion to those who work with the written word for over twenty years. So if you want to discover whether you should care about split infinitives, are cursed with an uncontrollable outbreak of commas or were wondering if that newsreader was right to say 'an historic day', this superb book is the place to find out.

Puddin'
Puddin'

Author: Clio Goodman

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2013-10-15

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 0812994205

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The classic American treat finally gets its due: foolproof pudding recipes, from irresistible standards to inventive modern twists, by the chef and owner of New York City’s popular pudding destination. Puddin’ shares Clio Goodman’s secrets for re-creating—and improving on—your sweetest childhood memories. From grown-up renditions of snack-time favorites like Butterscotch Pudding (spiked with whiskey) to party-ready showstoppers like Banana Upside-Down Cake with Malted Pudding and summertime crowd-pleasers like Peanut Butter Fudge Pops and Peach Melba Parfaits, Puddin’ serves up luscious and decadent recipes for your every dessert whim. Along the way, Clio offers suggestions for adapting her pudding recipes—all of which are naturally gluten-free—for vegan and low-fat variations. And because creamy pudding just begs for a companion, Puddin’ also includes recipes for homemade toppings, such as Salted Caramel Sauce, Marshmallow Crème, and Brownie Crumbs, that can be mixed and matched with the puddings of your choice or incorporated into one of Clio’s signature parfaits. These surprisingly easy-to-execute pudding creations are destined to become staples of your dessert repertoire. Puddin’ is a celebration of an American classic. Praise for Puddin’ “Remarkably versatile . . . A superb single-subject dessert cookbook.”—Library Journal (starred review) “Unlock the secrets to divine creaminess. . . . This book has revisited and reinvented pudding in just about every imaginable form. Recipes are easy to follow and results could win you some delicious rewards.”—Eat Something Sexy “Clio Goodman has a talent for transforming simple, elemental ingredients into amazing desserts. Puddin’ brings back memories of simpler times, and coming back to pudding is a return to an elemental form of inspiration. These sweet treats are the ultimate in comforting indulgence.”—Ron Ben-Israel, host of Sweet Genius “Clio’s puddings are ethereal and utterly delicious. Her techniques are simple, but the magic is in the way she pairs unique ingredients in one little cup. Her puddings will dazzle any dinner party!”—Pichet Ong, pastry chef, author of The Sweet Spot, and judge of Sugar Dome