--Unknown (possibly Noah Webster)
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Friday, November 24, 2017
Monday, May 16, 2016
Fire up your e-readers! My two Kindle editions on Amazon are FREE from May 17th through May 21st. A funny dictionary and a scary story -- what a combination! (Both have 4.5 stars on Amazon.)
The Word I'm Thinking Of
The Iron Box
That's right, Free. What, you don't have a Kindle? You can download the app on your phone or computer. That's free too: free Kindle apps
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Much Ado about NOTHING: Book Blurbs
Book blurbs! I deal with them all day at my job. Luckily some of them amuse me.
"The narrated version of the pertinent sections of the United States Department of Transportation's regulations for Urine Specimen Collectors as set forth in 49 CFR Part 40 (May 4, 2012) to be used in conjunction with the US DOT's 'Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines' for training and refresher course purposes." Only the pertinent sections, mind you.
~~~
"It's a depressing thought, but one day you will die. All living things die. This essay deals with the topic of death. It covers a number of famous poisoners and the poisons they dispatched to their victims. In addition to the mechanisms of drug action, the subject of apoptosis (programmed cell death) is also discussed. This essay is therefore a resource which can aid students and the layperson interested in drug/toxin action. There is also some humor."
~~~
"Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for empty-nesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and...in love?" (Title: "Parts & Wreck: Entangled Covet")
"The narrated version of the pertinent sections of the United States Department of Transportation's regulations for Urine Specimen Collectors as set forth in 49 CFR Part 40 (May 4, 2012) to be used in conjunction with the US DOT's 'Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines' for training and refresher course purposes." Only the pertinent sections, mind you.
~~~
"It's a depressing thought, but one day you will die. All living things die. This essay deals with the topic of death. It covers a number of famous poisoners and the poisons they dispatched to their victims. In addition to the mechanisms of drug action, the subject of apoptosis (programmed cell death) is also discussed. This essay is therefore a resource which can aid students and the layperson interested in drug/toxin action. There is also some humor."
~~~
"Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for empty-nesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and...in love?" (Title: "Parts & Wreck: Entangled Covet")
Monday, November 03, 2014
The Phrase I'm Thinking Of: FREE eBook
Fire up your Kindles, logophiles! Starting today (November 3), the Kindle edition of my book, The Word I'm Thinking Of: A Devilish Dictionary of Difficult Words, is FREE on Amazon.com through Friday, November 8. Pinchfists, rejoice!
The Word I'm Thinking Of
No Kindle? The paperback is only $6.75 on Amazon. The audiobook is only $17.95 on Audible.com (or free with a 30-day trial). And keep in mind that the Kindle app (which doesn't require a physical Kindle e-reader) is a free download that you can run on your computer or smartphone.
The Word I'm Thinking Of
No Kindle? The paperback is only $6.75 on Amazon. The audiobook is only $17.95 on Audible.com (or free with a 30-day trial). And keep in mind that the Kindle app (which doesn't require a physical Kindle e-reader) is a free download that you can run on your computer or smartphone.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Read any good books lately?
As part of my job, I read book description blurbs. Below is one of my recent favorites. (Guaranteed 100-percent genuine -- not embellished or made up.)
"It's a depressing thought, but one day you will die. All living things die. This essay deals with the topic of death. It covers a number of famous poisoners and the poisons they dispatched to their victims. In addition to the mechanisms of drug action, the subject of apoptosis (programmed cell death) is also discussed. This essay is therefore a resource which can aid students and the layperson interested in drug/toxin action. There is also some humor."
"It's a depressing thought, but one day you will die. All living things die. This essay deals with the topic of death. It covers a number of famous poisoners and the poisons they dispatched to their victims. In addition to the mechanisms of drug action, the subject of apoptosis (programmed cell death) is also discussed. This essay is therefore a resource which can aid students and the layperson interested in drug/toxin action. There is also some humor."
Monday, June 30, 2014
Random Sequence: Time Traveling Brussels Sprout?
Book description of the day:
"It is the year 2060 and oh no! The world is going to end again! In 1977 Elvis Presley faked his own death and set off on a journey into the future with his best friend Barry the Time Traveling Brussels Sprout. Mr Presley's mission: seek out and destroy The Antichrist .... Meanwhile in 2060 Rex Mundi seems happy enough. He is married to Jesus Christ's twin sister Christeen, has a talking hippy dog named Fido and a very nice house in the country. If it wasn’t for that great big spaceship that someone has parked on his lawn, Rex would have very little to complain about. And so begins They Came and Ate Us...."
In my job, I read -- and edit -- stuff like this quite frequently.
"It is the year 2060 and oh no! The world is going to end again! In 1977 Elvis Presley faked his own death and set off on a journey into the future with his best friend Barry the Time Traveling Brussels Sprout. Mr Presley's mission: seek out and destroy The Antichrist .... Meanwhile in 2060 Rex Mundi seems happy enough. He is married to Jesus Christ's twin sister Christeen, has a talking hippy dog named Fido and a very nice house in the country. If it wasn’t for that great big spaceship that someone has parked on his lawn, Rex would have very little to complain about. And so begins They Came and Ate Us...."
In my job, I read -- and edit -- stuff like this quite frequently.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Random Sequence: Entangled Covet
Book description of the day:
"Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for empty-nesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and...in love?"
(Title: Parts & Wreck: Entangled Covet)
In my job, I read -- and edit -- stuff like this quite frequently.
"Nobody told me there'd be days like this."
--John Lennon
"Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for empty-nesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and...in love?"
(Title: Parts & Wreck: Entangled Covet)
In my job, I read -- and edit -- stuff like this quite frequently.
"Nobody told me there'd be days like this."
--John Lennon
Monday, December 30, 2013
The Word I'm Thinking of Is 'e-book'
Fire up your Kindles, logophiles! At long last, my book, The Word I'm Thinking Of, is available as a Kindle e-book.
What, you don't have a Kindle? You don't need the device; you can download the FREE Kindle reading app to your computer, tablet, or phone here.
And don't forget that there are also print and audiobook editions available.
It's all so, so...selcouth. And cromulent.
What, you don't have a Kindle? You don't need the device; you can download the FREE Kindle reading app to your computer, tablet, or phone here.
And don't forget that there are also print and audiobook editions available.
It's all so, so...selcouth. And cromulent.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Link Mania
"The Codex Seraphinianus was written and illustrated by Italian graphic designer and architect Luigi Serafini during the late 1970s. The Codex is a lavishly produced book that purports to be an encyclopedia for an imaginary world in a parallel universe, with copious comments in an incomprehensible language. It is written in a florid script, entirely invented and completely illegible, and illustrated with watercolor paintings."
You can read more about this strange book and see examples of the Bosch-like illustrations here. It shares some similarities with the famous (infamous?) Voynich Manuscript.
T'would be an interesting volume to possess in full-color print, if it didn't cost "from $295" on Amazon....
You can read more about this strange book and see examples of the Bosch-like illustrations here. It shares some similarities with the famous (infamous?) Voynich Manuscript.
T'would be an interesting volume to possess in full-color print, if it didn't cost "from $295" on Amazon....
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Read any good books lately?
As part of my job, I read book description blurbs. Below are a couple of my recent favorites. (Guaranteed 100-percent genuine -- not embellished or made up.)
"Warning! This 6,800 word story depicts the graphic sexual acts of a man being bred and impregnated by the tentacle goddess of his people and is intended for mature audiences only."
"When scientists with warped imaginations accidentally unleash an experimental bioweapon that transforms Britain's animals into sneezing, bloodthirsty zombies with a penchant for pre-dinner sex with their victims, three misfits become the unlikely hope for salvation." Title: "Apocalypse Cow".
And here's a book title that I couldn't have made up if I tried:
"He Died with a Falafel in His Hand". What a way to go....
"Warning! This 6,800 word story depicts the graphic sexual acts of a man being bred and impregnated by the tentacle goddess of his people and is intended for mature audiences only."
"When scientists with warped imaginations accidentally unleash an experimental bioweapon that transforms Britain's animals into sneezing, bloodthirsty zombies with a penchant for pre-dinner sex with their victims, three misfits become the unlikely hope for salvation." Title: "Apocalypse Cow".
And here's a book title that I couldn't have made up if I tried:
"He Died with a Falafel in His Hand". What a way to go....
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Word of the Day: bricoleur
bricoleur (n)
One who engages in bricolage (construction by using whatever comes to hand); a do-it-yourselfer.
"Coupled with his genre breaking is the fact that Dick is a bricoleur, though this is not the word Lem uses, but it is very much what he is describing."
--dynamicsubspace.net, "Stanislaw Lem's Philip K. Dick: A Visionary Among the Charlatans"
My blogging is bricolage, a vertical patchwork of palaver and persiflage that leaks from my coconut almost every day. How's that for a mixed metaphor? As they say in the rulebooks, even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed....
So let's talk about Dick. His print works, some of which are in the public domain and some are not, have been strip-mined by Hollywood's blockbuster machine, with mixed results, as any Dickhead will tell you. No doubt the man was a mad genius. My favorite Dick book is the unfilmable (?) VALIS, a phantasmagorical mélange of sci-fi and gnostic speculation. What's not to like about an autobiographical novel that features a main character named Horselover Fat, a "plasmate", a child messiah, Valentinian Gnosticism, pre-Socratic philosophers, a rock musician named Eric Lampton, a "Black Iron Prison", and a pink laser beam from Sirius? In the fourth season of Lost a character can be seen reading a copy of VALIS.
There. Bricolage.
One who engages in bricolage (construction by using whatever comes to hand); a do-it-yourselfer.
"Coupled with his genre breaking is the fact that Dick is a bricoleur, though this is not the word Lem uses, but it is very much what he is describing."
--dynamicsubspace.net, "Stanislaw Lem's Philip K. Dick: A Visionary Among the Charlatans"
My blogging is bricolage, a vertical patchwork of palaver and persiflage that leaks from my coconut almost every day. How's that for a mixed metaphor? As they say in the rulebooks, even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed....
So let's talk about Dick. His print works, some of which are in the public domain and some are not, have been strip-mined by Hollywood's blockbuster machine, with mixed results, as any Dickhead will tell you. No doubt the man was a mad genius. My favorite Dick book is the unfilmable (?) VALIS, a phantasmagorical mélange of sci-fi and gnostic speculation. What's not to like about an autobiographical novel that features a main character named Horselover Fat, a "plasmate", a child messiah, Valentinian Gnosticism, pre-Socratic philosophers, a rock musician named Eric Lampton, a "Black Iron Prison", and a pink laser beam from Sirius? In the fourth season of Lost a character can be seen reading a copy of VALIS.
There. Bricolage.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Word of the Day: pasticcio
pasticcio (n)
A work or style consisting of borrowed fragments, ingredients,
or motifs assembled from various sources; a potpourri.
"What did it matter if the work were a spurious thing, a pasticcio, a poor victim which had been pulled this way and that, changed, cut, added to?"
--Robert Smythe Hichens, The Way of Ambition
"On one occasion an old man sang quite glibly a tune which was in reality a pasticcio of three separate shanties all known to me."
--Sir Richard Runciman Terry, The Shanty Book, Part I, Sailor Shanties
Hey, all you wordcatchers, I know this sounds like something you might order in an Italian restaurant, but it appears in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, so I think it's worth featuring as my WotD. (I try to stick to English lexemes here.)
I've just started reading a book (or, perhaps you might call it a monograph) entitled Old World Politics, New World Prophecy, which is billed as an explanation of Inland Empire, the very confusing but weirdly fascinating (to me anyway) film/puzzle by David Lynch, which is sort of a cinematic pasticcio. The author delves into Eastern European mythology and other arcana to develop a theory of what the hell that was all about, and even apparently argues that the talking-rabbit sitcom scenes were not non sequiturs. (If something is not a non, is it a plain old sequitur?) It's received excellent reviews from the Lynch mob, so I'm looking forward to being enlightened.
A work or style consisting of borrowed fragments, ingredients,
or motifs assembled from various sources; a potpourri.
"What did it matter if the work were a spurious thing, a pasticcio, a poor victim which had been pulled this way and that, changed, cut, added to?"
--Robert Smythe Hichens, The Way of Ambition
"On one occasion an old man sang quite glibly a tune which was in reality a pasticcio of three separate shanties all known to me."
--Sir Richard Runciman Terry, The Shanty Book, Part I, Sailor Shanties
Hey, all you wordcatchers, I know this sounds like something you might order in an Italian restaurant, but it appears in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, so I think it's worth featuring as my WotD. (I try to stick to English lexemes here.)
I've just started reading a book (or, perhaps you might call it a monograph) entitled Old World Politics, New World Prophecy, which is billed as an explanation of Inland Empire, the very confusing but weirdly fascinating (to me anyway) film/puzzle by David Lynch, which is sort of a cinematic pasticcio. The author delves into Eastern European mythology and other arcana to develop a theory of what the hell that was all about, and even apparently argues that the talking-rabbit sitcom scenes were not non sequiturs. (If something is not a non, is it a plain old sequitur?) It's received excellent reviews from the Lynch mob, so I'm looking forward to being enlightened.
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