My favourite writing reference books
September 3rd 2008 00:26
A dog-eared, much-used veteran of a million editorial queries - that's me I'm talking about. Which means that the books I use every day in editing and writing work have established themselves over many years as my reference works of choice.
Here they are:
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford dictionaries come in all varieties and sizes. There is the Pocket Oxford, the Little Oxford, the Compact Oxford, the Concise Oxford and the Shorter Oxford. My 1992 edition Shorter Oxford is 2,672-pages excluding appendices. So what is it shorter than? The full Oxford English Dictionary, generally known as the OED, which is pronounced in firm but reverential tones. I don't have one of these giants, so I have turned to Wikipedia for the following: "As of 30 November 2005, the Oxford English Dictionary contained about 301,100 main entries ... (the) latest, complete print edition (Second Edition, 1989) was printed in 20 volumes, comprising 291,500 entries in 21,730 pages." It is the great grandfather of all English-language reference works, but for those of us in the blogosphere, the Concise has everything we need.
Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition
One of the great bookshops of the world is Powell's in Portland, Oregon. Powell's is huge, old and venerable, as befits the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world. At Powell's, they place the used and new versions of books alongside each other, which I have seen rarely anywhere else, and certainly not on this multi-storied scale. I was taken to Powell's in the late 1990s, and wandered in a dream. Then I came to the dictionary section, and there I found a 1934 Webster's New International Dictionary (Second Edition). It has close to 4,000 pages of dictionary and appendices, and is the most spectacular book I own. Note: For those interested, Powell's has an online presence here.
The New Penguin Thesaurus
I use my thesaurus more than any other reference book. Mark Twain said a writer must always use the right word, not its second cousin, and for me a thesaurus is an essential tool in achieving this. I have a Roget's, the classic name in thesauruses, and an excellent work it is too, especially since they changed the format to a straightforward alphabetical listing of words. I also have The Macquarie Thesaurus, which is a major work. My favourite, however, is the New Penguin. It has a modern look and feel, I am more often surprised by finding words included than finding words omitted, and the lists of synonyms is comprehensive.
The Complete Plain Words
This remarkable book is basically the style guide for the British Civil Service, and is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The original edition appeared in 1954 when Sir Ernest Gowers, at the invitation of the British Treasury, reworked some of his earlier material on English usage and came up with a classic. It offers guidance with elegance and wit. It is sensible and practical, and is the first book I turn to with any question on usage or grammar. The Complete Plain Words was such a success that Sir Ernest was asked to undertake the revision of another classic guide to good English, Fowler's Modern English Usage, which he did for the 1965 edition.
The Economist Style Guide
All major publications have style guides, for without them they can not have the consistency which is essential to a quality newspaper or magazine. The Economist Style Guide is another of those venerable names which inspire hushed tones among the old hands of journalism. Here is their entry for anticipate: "Anticipate does not mean expect. Jack and Jill expected to marry; if they anticipated marriage, only Jill might find herself expectant."
Strunk and White: The Elements of Style
This small book has a large place in the hearts of Americans. First published privately in 1918 by Professor William Strunk, it was revised by one of his students, E.B. White, in 1952 and re-published by McMillan. Strunk said that one must first know the rules to break them, and his book concentrates on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. It does so with energy, authority, wisdom and humour, all in fewer than 100 pages.
The Oxford Companion to the English Language
Almost 1,200 pages of facts about anything to do with English, and the people who shaped it. Well, British people who shaped it: Sir Ernest is included but Professor Strunk is not. This is the only one of my favourite reference books which regularly leaves the shelf behind my chair and makes its way to my bedside table. It is almost impossible to look up something without being drawn into reading other snippets of language lore.
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I like the sound of the Plain Words one, I think that would be really helpful.
I'd add the Style Manual to my list...
Great info,
Tracy
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
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I just did a check and amazon.co.uk looks the best place. Here's a link to the book's page there if you want to have a look. I hope you do get it - it's one of those books which becomes a friend and mentor.
C
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thank-you.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Just perusing your blogs .. and although always voting, rarely commenting?
I like the sound of this plain words too, will look about for one.
I have the Essential Rhyming Dictionary in my collection too ... quite a must for a poet.
thanks for the heads up
Lilla ...-
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
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Perhaps Tracy can get you a copy while she's in London
Regards,
Chris