Tuesday's Treasures {The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations}

This post is copied from my main blog, Homeschool Coffee Break, but because this link-up is about books, my contributions will appear here too!

Hi, my name is Kym and I'm a grammar geek and word nerd. My kids would say I'm a grammar nazi, but I think that's a little harsh. I am a little obsessive about correcting them when they misuse "me" and "I" but that's become something of a family joke now, and the boys say it wrong on purpose half the time just to mess with me. And they love it when they can catch me getting something wrong. Of course, just because I'm a grammar nerd doesn't mean that I never make mistakes, or that I avoid speaking (or writing) using slang or extremely informal style. If you've ever talked to me in person or read some of my stuff on message boards or Facebook (or even here) you probably already know that. In fact, I've noticed lately that I use a lot of sentence fragments. I figure it's okay because this blog isn't for college credit. 

That background may help explain why I'm fascinated by this book and consider it so much fun. I have a horror of mispronouncing words. I remember being stumped by the word "calliope" and how much my hubby teased me when I got it wrong. I guess he figured he scored one on the grammar nerd! Not so much any more, but I used to provide lots of amusement to my American friends because of my "Canadian accent" and for using the British pronunciation of some words. I found the big book of beastly mispronunciations by Charles Harrington Elster in the library's book sale bin and for 25 cents I could not pass it up!

I'm just nerdy enough that I actually read this book cover-to-cover for enjoyment, and I still refer to it when a pronunciation issue comes up. It backs up my opinion when I claim that sports reporters say "fracas" incorrectly, or when I get irritated over someone saying that something is "patently false" while using a "patently incorrect" pronunciation, or when I insist that "New England Primer" and "paint primer" are not said the same way! It also proves my case that I am not mispronouncing "advertisement" or "lieutenant", merely using the British pronunciation. As I said, I am not always right, and have been surprised to find that I have been saying "congruent" and "alumnae" incorrectly. Thankfully, many words listed in this book have more than one correct or accepted pronunciation, so we sometimes find that although we aren't using the preferred pronunciation, at least we're not wrong. It's not just a book listing pronunciation either, most of the entries are accompanied with an explanation of the word origins and how the accepted pronunciations have changed over time, and often presented with droll humor. 

Are you second-guessing yourself on some of the above words? (I second-guess myself often, just because the book has shown that what we hear most often is not always correct!) Here are the answers from the expert, as found in my book:

• advertisement AD-ver-TYZ-ment (American); ad-VUR-tiz-ment (chiefly British)
• alumnae uh-LUHM-nee. Do not say uh-LUHM-ny.
• congruent KAHNG-groo-wint. Stress the first syllable.
• fracas FRAY-kis, not FRAK-is
• lieutenant loo-TEN-int (American always); lef-TEN-int (British)
• patent when used to mean "obvious" the pronunciation is PAYT'nt; for all other meanings the pronunciation is PAT'nt
• primer an introductory textbook is a PRIM-ur; paint is PRY-mur

This book is fun and educational for word nerds! Everyone around me may say EK-struh-OR-di-ner-ee but I know it should be ek-STROR-di-ner-ee and will say it correctly. But no matter how wrong it is, I guess I will probably keep saying FUNG-gy even though I now know that it is supposed to be FUN-jy. Old habits die hard.

What words do you wonder about? Leave a comment if you'd like me to check the book for the correct pronunciation! 

The original post is linked at Every Bed of Roses for Tuesday's Treasures. Blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading, or one you found at the library.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {The Good Knight}

The Good Knight by Sarah Woodbury - Sometimes you can find something really good among the freebies for Kindle. In my opinion, The Good Knight was one of those finds for me. A mystery with a bit of romance, and set in medieval Wales - no wonder the description had me hooked! The story was not a disappointment either, with well-developed characters and an intriguing mystery. At times I did feel a little confused, as if there was some background I had missed, and I did check to make sure this wasn't the second of a series! It is the first in this series, although a prequel novella is available as well. Most of the missing pieces were supplied later in the book, so other than those few moments of "did I miss something?" or disconnects in the storyline, the story was quite satisfying, and the twists and turns in the mystery plot kept me wondering and guessing along with Gareth and Gwen as they unravel the knots of murder, conspiracy theories, and political maneuvering. The ending was a bit abrupt - it felt like there should be a bit more, but maybe that's so I'll read the second book in the series?

Gwen is the daughter of a court bard, who also happens to be a spy for one of the Welsh princes. When her party stumbles upon the scene of an ambush on the way to a royal wedding, she renews her contact with the knight who was courting her before he was dismissed from his lord's service. Gareth is also a spy, and together they work to find out who conspired to murder the king who was on his way to be married. There are plenty of suspects to consider, but when Gareth himself is accused of the crime, things really get complicated. Turns out that very few characters in this book are completely trustworthy or can be neatly categorized as "good guys" or "bad guys". And as a bonus, at the end I found out that some of the characters and plot are based on actual events.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Mr & Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One}

Mr & Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan - Have you ever read a book from the Best Seller List that everyone else was raving about, but it totally left you flat? That's kind of what my experience with this book was. I'm glad I only borrowed it and didn't pay for it, and I am baffled as to why this author is acclaimed by many as one of the best writers of P&P sequels. 

My first complaint is that this "novel" doesn't even have a storyline! When I was in school, I was taught that a good story has to have some kind of conflict that is resolved. There is little of that in this selection, and as such, there is no ongoing plot to tie the book together. As the book starts with the Darcy wedding day, the wedding night jitters that Elizabeth experiences are presented as being a sort of conflict, but of course that is resolved within the next chapter and this sets the tone for the rest of the book (I'll get to that in a moment because it is another complaint.). Then there really is nothing else that might qualify as conflict until almost the end, when Elizabeth suffers an accident that threatens her health and when Darcy discovers that the inappropriate advances of another man were the cause of the accident, he challenges the man to a duel. But overall, I can summarize the "plot" and save you the trouble of reading the book this way: Darcy and Elizabeth get frisky in every room of Pemberley, and nothing else very interesting ever happens. Actually, their panting and lustful obsession isn't very interesting either, because it's just the same thing recycled in every chapter.

That is my second complaint - essentially the book is a series of bedroom scenes, actually the same scene presented over and over again with some minor variations in location and position, and each one accompanied by a sickly sweet and ridiculous 'dialogue' of "Precious love... I need you so... Beloved wife... Adored husband..." BARF. Okay, I'm glad they love each other and have a mutually satisfying marriage bed - I'd expect no less - but 1) I don't need to hear or read about it over and over again; and 2) it's just very badly done and unbelievable. Like I said, same scene over and over again with a couple of minor variations. At least they are not overly graphic in terms of dirty language or body part descriptions, but still. There is little storytelling value in all the "rising desire... blissful union... breathless passion..." nonsense that makes up at least three-quarters of the pages.

I also take exception to the reader reviews that say "this could have been written by Austen herself" and wonder whether those readers have actually read any of Austen's works or just some of the poorer fan fiction. Thankfully, Lathan does have a solid command of the English language and the writing itself is not bad, but it certainly is not comparable to Austen's style, especially the dialogue.

To be fair, there are some things I did appreciate about this book. Having read some fan fiction that was riddled with horrible mistakes in everything from grammar to historical accuracy, I was glad to find little to complain about in that regard. There were a couple of word usages that I thought were out of their time (for example, Elizabeth telling Darcy he was "cute" as if they had suddenly been transported to the 1980s) but overall that aspect of the writing was very good. Inasmuch as I hated the repetitious and unrealistic lust scenes, I need to say that I truly appreciate that Lathan's Darcy and Elizabeth both remained chaste until their wedding day. It seems to be popular among the fan fiction writers to portray Darcy as a complete rake with vast sensual experience, and in my opinion this is completely opposed to the character Austen created. Lathan's Darcy makes it very clear to Elizabeth that he has waited for marriage. (This actually creates a problem though, because on their wedding night, he seems to be extremely knowledgeable. Lathan "solves" this problem by having him confess later to Elizabeth that he is in possession of a couple of "instructional" books. Good grief.) And Lathan does a commendable job of having the characters continue to act in keeping with their descriptions by Austen, although their dialogue is certainly simpler.

After so many complaints about the book, it shames me somewhat to admit that I will probably read the rest of this series, simply because I have the fourth book and feel like I should read those in between. I have no great expectation that the second and third will differ much from this one, so it likely won't take me long to get through them. I plan to skim the lust scenes since they are all the same anyway. 

By the same author: one of the novellas in A Darcy Christmas. It's interesting to note that my review of that particular story was summarized as "Not much of a storyline, but I had no complaints either." I guess since it was a short story and Elizabeth was heavily pregnant, there was probably only one lust scene. LOL

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {A Lasting Impression}

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander - Tamera Alexander is quickly becoming another favorite author of mine, although this is only the second of her books that I've read. This historical novel is set in Nashville shortly after the Civil War. Claire Laurent wants so much to be recognized as an artist in her own right, and to be able to create paintings that will make that "lasting impression", but it doesn't seem possible as long as her father expects her to paint copies of paintings that he and a family friend fraudulently sell as originals. When the gallery is robbed, it appears that Claire's life may be in danger so she is sent to Nashville. Things don't turn out as planned on her arrival, and determined to build a new life for herself and put her dishonest past behind her, she applies for a position as the personal liaison to Mrs Adelicia Acklen, the wealthiest woman in America at that time. Sutton Monroe is a lawyer who works for Mrs Acklen and becomes Claire's very good friend. The growing relationship between Claire and Sutton is threatened by the possibility of the details of Claire's past being uncovered. Despite her determination to be honest in all her dealings, Claire realizes that telling her new employer that she once participated in art forgery is very risky so she doesn't volunteer any information. Sutton becomes involved in investigating the art fraud case, although Claire doesn't know it. This sets up an interesting tension all the way through the story. I found myself almost holding my breath throughout, wondering when Claire's past will be exposed and how. The storytelling is rich and suspenseful, and the romance brewing between Claire and Sutton is tender and heart-warming.

I do need to take issue with part of the description on the back cover -

When she's forced to flee her home, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe, who shows her kindness by not turning her in to authorities. But when he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged him.

How did I miss the part when he "refuses to come to her aid"? I honestly didn't see that anywhere in the book, and I was actually watching for it. Perhaps not the most accurate book jacket description, but that shouldn't detract from an excellent historical novel with drama and romance along with lovely historical detail.

By the same author:  To Whisper Her Name

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads and Tuesday's Treasures {Adventures in the Rocky Mountains}

This post is copied from my main blog, Homeschool Coffee Break, but because this link-up is about books, my contributions will appear here too!

I found a book I considered a treasure while working through America the Beautiful with my kids during the past school year. The Notgrass text set includes a book called We the People, which is a collection of letters, founding documents, speeches, poetry, and articles to go along with the history lessons. One of these was an excerpt from a book I'd never heard of - Adventures in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella Bird. The excerpt intrigued me and I was lucky enough to find a copy through the library.

Isabella Bird was a nineteenth-century writer and explorer, originally from England. She was often sick during her childhood, but her dream was to travel and explore. After time spent in Australia and Hawaii, she traveled to the newest territory in the United States, Colorado, partly because she had heard that the air and climate was especially good for those who suffered from health problems. In 1873 she covered over 800 miles in Colorado, dressed practically and riding her horse astride rather than sidesaddle. She wanted to see the mountains for herself, and was willing to take on all kinds of challenges to do it. It seems she rarely turned aside from a difficult ride or climb, and did a fair amount of her traveling and exploring unaccompanied! She must have been a courageous and fascinating lady!

The book is a compilation of letters and journal entries she wrote on this trip through the Rocky Mountains, and tells about her many adventures along the way, including her friendship with 'Rocky Mountain Jim', an outlaw with a past and reputation filled with violence. She describes him often as a desperado, yet treats him with respect and finds him to be a complete gentleman in all his dealings with her. Throughout the book, Bird describes her surroundings and the people she meets in detail, and tells of mishaps and the less-than-wonderful people and experiences with wry humor. Her detailed descriptions of the scenery are breathtaking and almost poetic.

I would recommend this book to go along with a history study of the American West, and it's probably a good read for young ladies interested in learning about courageous, independent women in history. Isabella Bird certainly fit that description!

This map in the front cover of the book shows the southwestern states and territories at the time Isabella Bird was traveling through these regions.

The original post is linked at Every Bed of Roses for Tuesday's Treasures. Blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading, or one you found at the library.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {The Spirit Well}

The Spirit Well by Stephen R Lawhead - First, I have to say that it came as a shock to me when I neared the end of this book that there are two more still to come in this series! What?! How did I not realize that earlier? On the plus side, there's two more books for me to look forward to!

Okay, in the two previous Bright Empires Novels, we met Kit Livingstone and his friend Mina. Kit's great-grandfather introduced him to the world of ley travel and through circumstances Mina got involved too. Kit and Mina were accidentally separated and Mina has been making a new and successful life for herself in medieval Prague, while Kit and his great-grandfather and other associates are travelling through other time periods. We also learned about Arthur Flinders-Petrie, known as The Man Who Is Map, a great pioneer of ley travel. As Arthur learned the intricacies of the intersections and portals of ley travel, he had a map of symbols tattooed onto his chest. After his death, the tattoo map was separated into five pieces, and ley travelers have been racing to find and decipher the pieces ever since. Some are the good guys, some are the bad guys. We've already met several bad guys, including Archelaus Burleigh and his henchmen, the Burleymen. When last we saw Kit, he was with a Stone Age tribe he thought of as the River City Clan.

Kit's Stone Age experience includes a ley line visit to a place he is sure is the Well of Souls. In The Spirit Well, he finally finds a ley (quite by accident!) that returns him to Europe at a time when he providentially meets up with Mina again. In this installment we also follow the adventures of the Flinders-Petrie descendants and their relationship to the map. Which of them can be trusted? Some are trying to protect the map and hide it, and others are trying to put it back together again. We are also introduced to a new character, Cassandra Clarke, an archaeologist. While on a dig in Arizona, she stumbles into a ley and finds herself in 1950s Damascus. Her search for answers and for the way back home leads her to the Seekers, the last of the Zetetic Society.

Once again, an action-packed blend of science fiction, history, and mythic mystery combine to make The Spirit Well an absorbing read. It took me a very long time to get through it, because I kept reading other things along the way and getting distracted. The large cast of characters sometimes needed a bit of refreshing when I'd come back to the book after taking a break, however it was only the Flinders-Petrie men that I had trouble keeping straight. The historical and Biblical references were fascinating, and there were definitely a few plot surprises along the way too. As I was reading the last couple of chapters, I kept thinking, "how is he going to wrap all of this up in just the few pages left?" and then when it became clear that there would be another cliff-hanger, I finally caught on. Yes, there are FIVE books planned for this series. I will be kept waiting until September 2013 before the fourth is published - The Shadow Lamp.

By the same author: The Skin Map; Patrick; The Pendragon Cycle: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, Grail

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {The Rebel's Pledge}

The Rebel's Pledge by Rita Gerlach - When this book showed up as free for Kindle, it caught my eye because  part of the action takes place in St Mary's City in colonial Maryland - close to home. The storyline is very interesting, with lots of action, and that kept me 'turning' pages all the way through. Matthew Hale is the main character, a young man who took part in a rebellion against King James of England. He expects to be hanged as a traitor, but is instead sentenced to transport to the colonies where he is sold as a slave. His master is a good man and treats all his workers very well. Hale soon earns a place as steward and proves to be honorable and trustworthy, so he is sent back to England with the mission of bringing the master's daughter to Maryland. Not surprisingly, Hale and the young lady, Lara, fall in love and after facing many adventures and dangers in returning to Maryland, they marry with her father's blessing. Unfortunately, Lara's former suitor in England is a powerful man with evil intent and he comes after Lara and frames Hale as a murderer. Hale and Lara are separated again and face another set of adventures and dangers before they can clear Hale's name and save both their lives.

Overall I liked the book, although the love story itself is fairly predictable and formulaic. There were a few minor holes in the plot, but that didn't bother me much. What did bother me was what looked like extremely poor editing!

I would be interested in seeing the print version of the book, because I hope that the vast majority of the errors in grammar, punctuation, and word usage were the result of formatting from print to eBook! I have no idea how the technology works, but I have noticed that eBooks do have those kinds of mistakes to a larger degree than print, so I would like to give the benefit of the doubt to the author and editor. That said, the errors were abundant, and sucked quite a bit of enjoyment out of the reading. Word usage was the biggest problem. I found "barred teeth" instead of "bared" multiple times, "illusive" instead of "elusive" more than once, "vile" instead of "vial" a couple of times, and a host of other similar mistakes. Punctuation was also strange or completely wrong in many places. One of the characters was referred to interchangeably as "Teaque" or "Teague". I am willing to attribute most of these problems to formatting error, but there were also places where the sentences and wording were just downright awkward and confusing. I paid a brief visit to the author's website and found a preview chapter of a new book there and a couple of punctuation and grammatical errors stood out to me in that sample, so maybe editing is an ongoing issue.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/